TEWKESBURY News
New slipway in Tewkesbury will save lives
4:44pm Monday 16th January 2012
A NEW emergency slipway in Tewkesbury will help save lives and improve response times by up to 20 minutes for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS).
Following a number of rescue and recovery operations on this stretch of water, GFRS first put in permission for development of the slipway in 2004 through the land owners, Avon Navigational Trust (ANT).
The site was identified as the best location for this emergency slipway, providing a safe launch and retrieval for a water rescue boat onto the River Severn.
As the site is a village green, GFRS and the land owners had to ask the Secretary of State for permission to take the development forward.
The letter of approval from Defra came at the beginning of January.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Geoff Sallis, said: “I am very pleased that we have finally received approval from Defra to build the slipway in Tewkesbury.
“Talks have been going on for a number of years with lots of different organisations and we have been grateful for the support of Gloucestershire County Council, Tewkesbury Borough Council and local residents during this time.”
Councillor Will Windsor-Clive, cabinet member for communities, said: “This is great news for the fire service and the people of Gloucestershire.
“Having the slipway will mean we are able to directly access a stretch of river close to Tewkesbury town – something that we’ve never had before.
“I am delighted that we are now able to put the thinking of the slipway into practice.”