Fire service approves major changes at more than 30 stations

More than 30 fire stations across Scotland will be affected by a major overhaul following a national review.

The changes, agreed by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) board on Monday, are part of the Service Delivery Review, which aims to ensure resources are deployed where they are most needed in response to “changing risks”.

The investment is expected to exceed £20m and will provide modern facilities for firefighters while supporting future service requirements.

Among the most significant proposals is the construction of two new fire stations in Glasgow and East Lothian.

New two-pump stations will be built at Cowcaddens and Tranent, replacing the existing single-pump stations at Yorkhill and Musselburgh.

Five fire stations that have remained dormant for a prolonged period and currently have no staff, located at Crianlarich, Fetlar, Nethy Bridge, Ratagan and the Isle of Muck, will close permanently.

Meanwhile, the future of stations at Colintraive, Corriecravie and Kerrera has yet to be decided.

Further consultation will now take place with affected volunteer personnel before any final decision is made.

Changes have also been approved at four stations affected by Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), with Hawick, Helensburgh, Cumbernauld and Milngavie moving to a day-shift duty system, allowing essential upgrades to be carried out.

The review will also see permanent changes to fire appliance provision at a number of stations.

Wholetime appliances at Hamilton and Govan will be removed permanently, while Springburn and Balmossie will each lose a wholetime appliance.

However, appliances previously withdrawn under temporary arrangements introduced in 2023 will return to service at Kingsway East, Maryhill and the new Cowcaddens station.

Elsewhere, combined aerial rescue pumps based at Dunfermline, Perth and Greenock will be replaced with dedicated high-reach appliances, formalising arrangements that have been in place on a temporary basis for the past two years.

A decision on proposed appliance changes in Fife has been deferred pending further analysis, with current arrangements remaining in place until further notice.

The plans follow a 12-week public consultation which generated more than 3,600 responses and included 40 engagement events held in communities across Scotland.

Mhairi Wylie, chair of the SFRS Board, said: “The Service Delivery Review is about ensuring that resources across Scotland are used to best meet risk and demand, ensuring parity and fairness across communities.

“We recognise the strength of feeling that exists in some communities. As a board, we take this extremely seriously and the public consultation has been invaluable in shaping the recommendations and decisions.

“We have listened to the concerns raised, and we will continue to closely monitor the impact of any changes.

“These decisions have been taken with community safety and firefighter safety as the primary considerations, while delivering best value for the people of Scotland.”

Chief officer Stuart Stevens said: “The Service Delivery Review is a critical programme to modernise how we work and deliver long-term sustainability.

“Its primary purpose is to ensure that we meet emerging risk and demand across Scotland, while enabling us to address urgent property issues.

“These changes are the start of a strategic redesign of the Service to improve outcomes for the communities of Scotland.”