Boris slammed: Kingsland Fire Station closure plans will increase response times

Facing closure: Kingsland fire station. Photograph: Francesca Fanshawe

The London Fire Brigade has published figures showing proposals to shut a dozen London fire stations would lead to increased response times in four Hackney wards.

Opposition politicians seized on the data to claim Mayor Boris Johnson had not been up-front about the extent of the impact plans to shave £28.8million off the Brigade’s budget will have.

A London Fire Brigade (LFB) spokesman said the proposals are currently out to consultation and that London would continue to receive a “very good service” compared with other areas.

Kingsland fire station is one of the 12 stations slated for possible closure, and the figures show this would cause response times in De Beauvoir to increase by 3.13minutes.

Labour London Assembly Member Murad Qureshi said: “This might not sound a lot but a fire can quadruple in intensity every two minutes.

“These increases are truly scandalous; no wonder they didn’t release this information sooner.

“This completely blows a hole in the Mayor’s plans for fire cuts; he must abandon them now and adopt our fully costed plan to keep them all open.”

Queensbridge and Dalston would also be hit hard, with response times increasing by 1.43mins and 1.41minutes respectively.

In New River response times would go up by five seconds.

The LFB is holding a public meeting about the future of the fire service in Hackney at 7pm on Monday 20 May in Hackney Assembly Hall, Stoke Newington Town Hall, Stoke Newington Church Street.

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: “The proposals currently out for public consultation seek to maintain our London-wide response targets, which as a London-wide fire brigade is how we plan the service we provide.

“The ward level data shows how varied response times are across the capital. As is the case now, over half of all London wards would, on average, continue to get a first response within the six minute target if the proposals are agreed. London would continue to receive a very good service, compared to other emergency services and other parts of the country.”

The Hackney Citizen has contacted the Mayor of London’s press office and is awaiting a response.