Analysis by Labour London Assembly Member John Biggs has shown that fire brigade response times have gone up in over 370 London wards since the Mayor forced through the closure of 10 London fire stations in January this year. Average response times for London have increased from 5:18 to 5:30 for the first fire engine response with the second response time also increasing from 6:28 to 6:51.
Initial analysis of the figures provided to Assembly Members show that Londoners in nineteen Newham wards now have to wait more than the six minute target time before help arrives with response times increasing by up over 2 minutes in some areas.
In Custom House, response times are up by over 2 minutes for the first responding fire engine and up by almost 4 minutes for the second responder. Nearby Silvertown firestation was closed in January resulting in the loss of 1 appliance. In total response times have increased in all but one of the twenty wards in Newham.
Since the fire station closures in January which also saw 14 fire engines removed from service, a total of 37 London wards have seen first response times increase by over a minute compared with 2012/13 data. Biggs said the number of areas where response times have increased shows that despite assurances from the Mayor, his cuts to the fire service have increased the threat to public safety.
The figures also include areas where 13 additional fire engines have been removed in order to cover potential strikes, further degrading response times. John Biggs called for these appliances to be returned outside of strike periods to ensure full cover across the capital.
London Labour Assembly Member John Biggs AM, said:
“Fires can take hold in seconds that’s why any increase in response times can be so dangerous. As a result of Boris Johnson’s decision to close ten fire stations and with the removal of a further 13 fire engines, even when they are not needed for strike cover, we have seen response times rise in over half of the capital’s wards including significant increases in Newham.
“Londoners will be deeply concerned that since the closures it could take significantly longer for a fire engine to reach their home. These latest figures show is that in most of London’s wards it will now take longer to get to fires than it did last year that is unacceptable.”
“The Mayor has an important duty to protect the public. He needs to ask himself whether closing ten fire stations and removing 27 fire engines is really the best way to achieve that. Given the jump in response times since the fire station closures, it is very fortunate that we have not seen an increase in serious incidents as a result.”
ENDS