DEFIANT union chiefs have declared that they will fight to the end to save Stourport and Bewdley fire stations from being axed in favour of a single hub.

The Fire Authority announced that a second phase of consultation on the £5.9 million Wyre Forest Emergency Services Hub will start on July 4, asking people for their opinions on the preferred location –Silverwoods in Kidderminster – if the plan goes ahead.

If approved, the hub would see the two Kidderminster crews and the retained Stourport and Bewdley stations relocated to one site which would also house police, ambulance and voluntary organisations.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service say pressures to balance the budget, the chance to work together and share intelligence with other blue light services and a reduction in the number of call outs were driving factors for the proposal.

But Steve Gould, from the Fire Brigades Union, said closing stations in Stourport and Bewdley would only increase response times and put lives at increased risk

He said: “Closing fire stations in Stourport and Bewdley and moving them to one site in Kidderminster will add two and a half minutes to attendance times and that is unacceptable.

“That is a massive increase. When there is a fire, seconds count, and we believe a single hub will be putting more people at risk in the communities.

“It is also increasing danger for firefighters as the incidents they attend will be far more intense as it’s taken them longer to get there.

“We are not against a hub where emergency services work together but our priority is to save lives and property and we are looking to keep both Stourport and Bewdley open and will keep fighting to save them.

“People living in Stourport and Bewdley should be consulted separately on what they think about losing their station from their towns.”

Chief Fire Officer Nathan Travis said: “The amalgamation of the three Wyre Forest fire stations into a new multi-agency hub is aimed at improving the management of a broader range of community risks – not just fire and road traffic collision risks.

“Furthermore, over the next 20 years, the new hub will result in a more resilient emergency response function across the three communities of Kidderminster, Stourport and Bewdley.

“There is no intention to reduce the number of fire engines situated in the Wyre Forest area compared to what is provisioned for today, although these assets could be developed over the medium term to better target the specific risks of the area.

“In terms of any changes to response times - based on the historical locations of the previous incidents - it is anticipated that the proposed siting of the new multi-agency hub could result in slightly slower response times to 2-3 incidents per month.

“Even with these potential changes, the Wyre Forest would remain a very safe place to live, work and travel.”