Epsom's fire engine to move to Banstead this summer

The Fire Brigade Union (FBU) has proposed that the vehicle and its firefighters could then be moved to a new site in a few years time where it would be collocated with the ambulance service.

Dave Herpe, brigade chairman of Surrey FBU, said he has been told there were proposals to redevelop another site in the Horseshoe, Banstead.

Banstead police station

Mr Herpe said: "They are looking to get into Banstead by August for a period of two years with a view to redeveloping the Horseshoe because of access to the A217.

"They are looking at a combined solution including the ambulance service."

A South East Coast Ambulance spokesman confirmed that there had been discussions over whether the fire service could use a "small part" of their premises in the Horseshoe.

But he said: "These discussions are ongoing and no decisions have been made as to whether this would be possible."

A Surrey Fire and Rescue spokesman said: "By September we will be using Banstead police station as a temporary location for one fire engine until a permanent site in the area is found.

"We have planned to relocate a fire engine from Epsom in order to improve the level of fire cover and services for Banstead and Burgh Heath residents.

"We will have a series of single fire engine fire stations running from Epsom, Banstead, Reigate and eventually Salfords."

Last year it was decided that Epsom’s fire engine would be relocated to Burgh Heath, but the search was later expanded to include Banstead.

A source, from within the fire service, said: "The public safety plans say a new fire station should be in Burgh Heath, not Banstead, but they could not find the right location.

"It should not be on the edge of another fire station’s ground, which it is. We are backing up the people of Sutton who have got their own cover.

"It’s a case of we should be protecting the residents we serve, which is Surrey."

But Mr Herpe said: "We recognise though that there can be advantages of having two stations with one fire engine as it can sometimes provide a better response.

"It can also be more resilient than one station with two fire engines. As yet we are not in a position to state whether we believe that that is the answer for Burgh Heath."