Great Yarmouth coastguard centre shuts after cuts

Great Yarmouth's coastguard centre has closed as the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) looks to "modernise" its service around the East of England.

The agency said full operational responsibility had been transferred to Humber coastguard, with further support from the Thames coastguard in Essex.

It said there would be no reduction in crews, lifeboats or helicopters.

Coastguard SOS believes the loss of local knowledge could hit response times around Norfolk and Suffolk.

The government originally wanted to cut the number of 24-hour coastguard co-ordination centres around the UK from 18 to three but, following an outcry, agreed to look again at the plans.

Clyde and Forth stations closed last year, with Great Yarmouth becoming the third to be shut out of eight. It covered Norfolk, Suffolk and Lincolnshire.

It is predicted about 159 jobs around the UK will go through the cutbacks, but no compulsory redundancies have occurred out of Yarmouth's 25 staff, MCA said.

Safety 'top priority'

Thames coastguard at Walton-on-the-Naze is being closed in 2014-15, with limited functions such as radio masts remaining at the centre.

After that, all distress calls on the Norfolk and Suffolk coast will be diverted to Humber station.

Chief coastguard Peter Dymond said: "Safety is our top priority and I am confident the same high-quality search-and-rescue service will be maintained throughout.

"There will be no reduction in front-line rescue resources. The availability of lifeboats, rescue helicopters, Coastguard Rescue Teams and other rescue facilities in the area will be unaffected.

"I am very grateful to the staff at Yarmouth coastguard, who have served this region and the local communities here with great dedication and professionalism over many years."

Dennis O'Connor, from Coastguard SOS, said: "We're not at all convinced by what the government and the MCA are proposing.

"We don't believe it's safe and it's an untested system that they're moving towards.

"The question is whether we will be able to coordinate rescues and task the correct teams to incidents in a safe and responsive time."