Johnson opens ‘eco-friendly’ fire station

Mayor of London Boris Johnson today opened the new Harold Hill, Romford fire station, the first new fire station to open in London for a decade.

The station includes an “innovative” water collection system, solar panels and energy saving boilers which officials say means it will produce 43 per cent less CO2 emissions than a typical fire station.

Hailing the new station’s eco-friendly credentials the Mayor said: “To be opening the first fire station built in London in a decade is remarkable enough, but throw in the fact that it is the greenest station in the capital and it is truly astonishing. Slashing energy consumption in our public buildings is a sure-fire way to not only reduce the capital’s carbon emissions but also cut fuel bills helping us to save hundreds of thousands of pounds every year.”

The Mayor was accompanied by Brian Coleman AM, Chair of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority for the opening of the station which became operational in late January. Mr Coleman said the new station “will improve our attendance to incidents not only in Havering, but across the capital.”

The station is the latest in a number of projects opened by the Mayor which were started during his predecessor’s tenure.

In November 2007 Val Shawcross AM, the then LFEPA Chair and a Labour member of the London Assembly, announced the purchase of the station’s site, allowing the construction phase to commence.

Commenting on the Mayor’s visit Shawcross said: “The Tory Mayor seems intent on spending 4 years cutting ribbons on projects which were planned and delivered by the previous Labour Mayor. Sadly he won’t be leaving any new projects for his successor to open because he’s cancelled or deferred dozens of important schemes across the GLA family.”

Firefighters used today’s opening to stage a protest against changes to working practices they claim will lead to a worse service for Londoners, a charge denied by the capital’s fire authority which says changes are needed to modernise the service.