Save Flamborough Coastguard Station Campaign

FLAMBOROUGH COASTGUARD STATION has been closed. All the services once stationed there have been relocated to Bridlington. A Facebook Campaign has been working tirelessly to reverse this decision.

Flamborough Coastguard Station on the tip of the eastern peninsula was closed down following a routine visit to the station by the Fire Service which revealed that the station was in breach of new fire safety regulation standards. The Maritime Coastguard Agency closed this station down, according to campaigners, rather than make the necessary improvements. The station's emergency search and rescue team and other emergency life-saving equipment have now been moved to Bridlington Coastguard Station

Mr Mike Bill Coastal Safety Manager for the Maritime Coastguard Agency has responded to the campaign:

"I can assure you that we have not only considered the safety and well being of our own volunteers but also that of the general public and the maritime community in our decision to move the team to Bridlington. The facilities at Bridlington far exceed those currently available at Flamborough and response times will probably improve"

However, campaigners say that life will be at risk needlessly on this particularly treacherous part of the coastline due to time delays in getting onto the cliffs, beach or holiday camps at Flamborough from Bridlington. The Campaign has also raised the idea of local people establishing a voluntary organisation to operate the station and would like to explore this as an option.

Flamborough born George Traves set up the Facebook Group to oppose the closure - and now to reverse the decision. The Facebook Group has attracted nearly 2,700 members and over 950 of those have signed an online petition. George is calling for more concerned people to sign the petition before its closure on Friday (27th August 2010).