The leader of the Green Party, Natalie Bennett, today said it was “a day to mourn” as she joined local people to mark the last day of Clerkenwell fire station, one of ten closed down today by London Mayor Boris Johnson.
Natalie said: “As we stand here today outside Europe’s oldest first station, we see an essential public service being degraded for the sake of the ideology of austerity.
“I know from my own personal experience what it is like to wait for a fire truck to arrive in a critical emergency situation. Every second feels like an age, an age of torture. By extending response times to many areas of London with these closures, we’re sentencing more people to suffering that.”
Caroline Russell, a Green Party campaigner in Islington, said: “Boris is committing an outrageous land grab. This fire station building is a community asset and should not be sold off. Seconds count when fighting fires, this move has left Londoners in increased danger – the community has lost out. “
Tom Bowker, Clerkenwell resident and Green Party activist, said: “The closure of this station makes me and my neighbours sleep less easily in our beds. Ours is one of London’s busiest fire stations – it plays a vital role for the safety not just of Clerkenwell but the rest of central London.”
Natalie Bennett said: “Although we’re also mourning here today, what’s also evident is a strong resolve to fight to save this vital community resource.
“We need to fight to keep this building from being sold off for development, to maintain it as a community resource so that in future it can be reopened as the fire station this area desperately needs.”
