Coastguard closure safety warning
A UK-wide programme of coastguard station reforms do not address the public’s safety concerns, MPs were told today.
The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) told the House of Commons Transport Committee that the planned reforms do not address the public’s concerns about safety.
The plans are not thought to have the support of the maritime community, the PCS said.
Ministers announced last summer that that 11 coastguard stations would stay open and all would operate 24 hours a day.
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But eight stations, including Swansea, will close over the period up to 2014/15, following a controversial review of the UK's coastguard provision.
The station in Mumbles is set to close in 2015 with centres in Liverpool, Brixham, Clyde, Portland, Thames, Forth and Yarmouth also set to close.
The PCS said in a written submission that the Government plans were drawn up without full and proper consultation with the union or with the communities that use the coastlines.
The union, which represents more than 500 members in the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, said some of the closures had “not been thought through” and staff were unhappy about the process.
The union also said that the loss of experienced staff would lead to the new maritime operations centre and other coastguard operations centres "having to rely on inexperienced staff which will lead to mistakes being made and possibly lives being lost”.
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