Declares that the Government plans to close Portland coastguard helicopter base, despite protests from local people, MPs and hospital consultants; and further that the Petitioners believe that there may be lives lost as a result of losing this search and rescue facility.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Department for Transport to reverse the decision to close Portland coastguard helicopter base.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Richard Drax, Official Report, 4 February 2014; Vol. 575, c. 243.]
[P001317]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Transport, received 21 February 2014:
When agreeing the new Search and Rescue Helicopter contract, the Government looked at the national picture, and that picture is much improved overall by a new basing configuration and fleet of aircraft.
The decision to close Portland was taken by Ministers on the strength of independently commissioned advice contained in the Assurance Review of Search and Rescue Helicopter Basing Report, which has been published*.
The new helicopter arrangements will be introduced incrementally from 2015 and will be fully operational by summer 2017. Services from Portland are scheduled to cease in June 2017.
The bases under the new contract that will most commonly cover the Portland area are Lee on Solent, Newquay and St Athan, near Cardiff. Lee on Solent and St Athan will be equipped with Agusta Westland AW189 aircraft. Newquay will be equipped with Sikorsky S92 aircraft. Two aircraft will be positioned at each base to provide high availability.
Portland is approximately 20 minutes flying time from Lee on Solent. With the more modern S92 aircraft, Newquay is 42 minutes flying time to Portland compared with Culdrose which is 61 minutes in a Sea King. The AW189 at St Athan can reach Portland in 27 minutes compared with Chivenor which is 40 minutes in a Sea King.
It is also important to remember that search and rescue helicopters are not the only means and not always the fastest means by which to reach those in danger. Her Majesty’s Coastguard can call upon a range of people and assets to respond to an emergency, including members of the Coastguard Rescue Service and the RNLI.