MP’s plea to May over town lifeboat downgrade plan
THE battle to keep an all-weather lifeboat at New Quay to serve Cardigan Bay took centre stage in the House of Commons when Ceredigion’s MP sought to win the support of the Prime Minister.
There is strong local opposition to any downgrade of New Quay Lifeboat Station and Ceredigion’s council has passed a unanimous motion in support of keeping all-weather capability.
Councillors fear that it would take the nearest all-weather lifeboat “an hour and a quarter” to reach some parts of Cardigan Bay if New Quay is downgraded.
The RNLI argues that an inshore lifeboat could “safely and effectively” provide services and the changes will lead to an “improvement to our life-saving capability”.
But Plaid Cymru’s Ben Lake made a bid during Prime Minister’s Questions to get Theresa May to use her influence to keep an all-weather vessel.
He said: “The Ceredigion coastline is among the most stunning of the British Isles, and Cardigan Bay has sustained communities on the value of its beauty and bounty.
“The lifeboat station at New Quay has valiantly safeguarded those who have ventured out into the bay for 150 years but it is possible that from 2020 Ceredigion will no longer have an allweather lifeboat.
“Would the Prime Minister agree that the invaluable work of the RNLI serves as a fourth emergency service and that as such it is essential the coastline of Ceredigion, like every other populated coastline, has access to this service whatever the weather?”
Mrs May stressed the independence of the RNLI, saying: “It decides where it thinks it is best to put its resources but we are supporting the work of independent lifeboat charities through our rescue boat grant fund and that’s allocated over £3.5m since 2014 to increase capacity and resilience by providing new boats and equipment.”
She noted that “search and rescue at sea is provided by a number of organisations”.
The RNLI reviews each stretch of coastline every five years and argues it “would not make operational sense to locate another all-weather lifeboat at New Quay”.
Matt Crofts, life-saving manager for the RNLI, said: “The RNLI has been totally committed to saving lives at sea for over 190 years, responding to changing patterns of sea use and lifeboat need.
“The RNLI doesn’t take decisions like this lightly and would certainly not contemplate removing a lifeboat if lives would be put at risk.
“The RNLI understands there is disappointment within the local community but remain confident in our decision.
“This decision has not been taken lightly and has been the subject of a thorough coast review.
“A detailed analysis of launch data shows that services by New Quay RNLI all-weather lifeboat in the five years covered by coast review could have been carried out safely and effectively by an Atlantic 85 lifeboat with support from flank stations if required.
“This change of life-saving configuration at New Quay will actually amount to an improvement to our lifesaving capability in the area.
“The Atlantic 85 is much faster than both the Mersey and the Shannon Class all-weather lifeboats; it can reach casualties more quickly and it also has a better shallow-water capability.
“By making this change, we will be adjusting the service to better address the risks that we are tasked to respond to in the bay.”
The RNLI added that “no change will happen until 2020” and “two faster allweather Shannon class lifeboats will be positioned at Pwllheli and Barmouth”.