RNLI 'must keep Ceredigion's all-weather lifeboat'

The New Quay lifeboat will remain on station until the next cost review in 2021

The RNLI's new chief executive must revisit the decision to scrap Ceredigion's only all-weather lifeboat in 2021, campaigners have said.

It comes after the Mersey-class lifeboat was launched three times over the bank holiday weekend.

In June 2017, the RNLI announced plans to replace New Quay's vessel with a smaller inshore one.

The charity said a change in circumstances or risk might lead it to revisit its strategy for Cardigan Bay.

Huw Williams, from the Ceredigion Lifeboat Campaign, said he hoped new chief executive Mark Dowie would opt to keep the Mersey-class lifeboat.

"The all-weather boat is important, and it does save lives in Cardigan Bay," Mr Williams said.

He added that dealing with 25% of all calls received at New Quay's station "wouldn't have been possible with the smaller boat".

"What we ask of him is to look at it with an open mind and to carry out a fair and open review in 2021," he said.

Campaigner Huw Williams hopes the RNLI will opt to keep the Mersey-class lifeboat

Ceredigion MP Ben Lake said he was concerned changes were at a "crossroads".

"I think there's a question [of] whether or not there needs to be greater consideration on behalf of the government," he said.

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"There is a strategic committee that overlooks this, what I'm not entirely sure is, whether it takes enough of a look at individual decisions.

"Overall, yes I think it fulfils that job but I think there might be a case to be made for them to look at areas and particular stretches of the coast."

The all-weather lifeboat will remain in New Quay until 2021, a year later than planned.

The RNLI had said the decision to scrap the vessel was the result of a five-year coast review, but now says it will be the subject of a further review in 2021.

The nearest all-weather lifeboat is located at either Barmouth or Fishguard, a 30-mile (48km) journey away for crews.

New Quay's two smaller boats are unable to launch in stormy weather.

The RNLI said the timings for its plans "can change from time to time as there are a number of dependencies we have to take into account concerning our lifeboat replacement programme as a whole".

It added that it continues to monitor activity in New Quay, as it does everywhere.