the Coastguard announcement, good news and bad

We'll have the good news first, Falmouth Coastguard will not be closed or downgraded to a daytime only role as the government had wanted. So congratulations to everyone who has lobbied and argued for Falmouth to maintain it's important position. It even looks as though the government may increase the importance of Falmouth and more than likely employ more staff to cover other closures, which brings me to the bad news....

Although there is much fanfare and sympathetic news reporting that the government has listened and done a u- turn, this is simply not true. Despite the consultation period not being over!?! they have announced, Coastguard stations to remain open will be Falmouth, Milford Haven, Holyhead, Belfast, Stornoway, Shetland, Aberdeen, Humber and London. To close are Swansea, Liverpool, Clyde, Forth, Yarmouth, Thames and Brixham. This is still a massive blow to maritime communities throughout these islands and Brixham currently provides cover for South East Cornwall, so this will effect Kernow.

In a rare, unprecedented and exceptional move for this blog, I invite you to read the Conservative MP for South East Cornwall Sheryll Murray's blog on today's coastguard cuts, she makes some very astute points: Local MP calls Coastguard closures a ‘disaster’ and calls on Government to fulfil its promise to listen

If you have already signed the petition well done, if you haven't do it now: Save the UK Coastguard Centers