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Date

25 June 2025

Service Delivery Review – a public consultation by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

People are being asked to share their views on the future of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service as part of a public consultation on 23 options for change.

The primary aim is to ensure that Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) resources – including staff, stations and appliances – are matched to operational risk and demand across Scotland.  

The proposed changes are spread across 14 different local authority areas and involve more than 30 fire stations. 

The full list of options include: the potential closure of eight long term dormant fire stations and a further five city-based sites – two in Edinburgh, two in Glasgow and one in Dundee. Some fire stations may be merged with sites nearby. 

There are also plans to repair or rebuild in some locations, as well as transfer staff and appliances to more effective locations. 

SDR Chief Officer Stuart Stevens

Chief Officer Stuart Stevens

Chief Officer Stuart Stevens said: “We have an opportunity for the first time since our national service was formed in 2013 to review how we provide our emergency service every minute of the day, every day of the year. 

“Building a modern fire and rescue service that is fit for purpose is the reason we are bringing these proposed changes forward.  

“We recognise that these 23 options represent a significant level of change. However, we have a duty to ensure that the right resources are in the right locations to meet new risks that exist within today’s communities.  

“We also need to spend public money wisely. We have a backlog of repairs in our buildings, fleet and equipment that would cost more than £800 million to address and this just isn’t an option available to our service. Therefore, along with the need for sustained investment we need to consider how we operate and reduce running costs for assets that are not serving our staff or communities.  

“We must also be able to adapt to meet current and future risks, such as those posed by extreme weather events or wildfires.” 

Long term dormant fire stations have been non-operational for many years due to recruitment difficulties for on call firefighters in rural places. In some of these locations, there are sheds or storage units.

Five other fire stations across Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow have been identified as potential closures or mergers because they are located close to other facilities that could provide effective cover, or the operational demand is lower than other fire stations with the same level of resources. 

Implementing a day duty shift pattern in targeted areas would see wholetime firefighters working between 8am and 6pm, supported by on call firefighters out with those times.  

A nucleus crew could be placed in two locations - Galashiels in the Scottish Borders and Lesmahagow in South Lanarkshire.  

A nucleus crew is made up of wholetime firefighters who can be tactically deployed across an area to carry our prevention work, provide additional resilience and respond to incidents during the day when on call availability can often be low. 

Permanent solutions are being proposed following the temporary withdrawal of ten appliances in 2023, including Perth & Kinross, Fife, Lanarkshire, Inverclyde and Glasgow. 

CO Stevens added: “These options have been developed over many months involving staff, trade union representatives and other stakeholders. 

“There will be a 12-week period to give people time to submit their views on the changes. 

“We would encourage as many people as possible to participate in public consultation process.”  

Change options

East Service Delivery Area

Option description

LSO area
  • Close the long-term dormant station at Crianlarich

Clackmannanshire, Fife and Stirling
  • Replace the third appliance at Dunfermline which is a combined aerial rescue pump (CARP) with a dedicated high reach appliance (HRA). The third appliance (CARP) was temporarily withdrawn and replaced with a high reach appliance in September 2023; AND
  • Reduce the number of wholetime appliances based at Lochgelly from two to one; AND
  • Reduce the number of wholetime appliances based at Methil from two to one. The second appliance was temporarily withdrawn in September 2023; AND
  • Reinstate the second appliance that was temporarily removed in September 2023 at Glenrothes. 

Clackmannanshire, Fife and Stirling
  • Replace the third appliance at Dunfermline which is a combined aerial rescue pump (CARP) with a dedicated high reach appliance (HRA). The third appliance (CARP) was temporarily withdrawn and replaced with a high reach appliance in September 2023; AND
  • Reduce the number of wholetime appliances based at Lochgelly from two to one; AND
  • Reduce the number of wholetime appliances based at Glenrothes from two to one. The second appliance was temporarily withdrawn in September 2023; AND
  • Reinstate the second appliance that was temporarily removed in September 2023 at Methil. 

Clackmannanshire, Fife and Stirling
  • Close Marionville which has one appliance that is crewed by wholetime firefighters. Move this appliance to Newcraighall and increase this station so that it will have two wholetime appliances; AND
  • Close Musselburgh station which has one appliance that is crewed by wholetime firefighters. Move this appliance to a new-build station at Tranent and increase this station so that it will have two appliances, one crewed by wholetime firefighters and one crewed by on call firefighters. 

City of Edinburgh

Midlothian, East Lothian and Scottish Borders
  • Introduce a new system for the first appliance at Hawick, which is currently crewed by wholetime firefighters. This would see that appliance crewed by wholetime firefighters during day shift hours from Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm. They will be supported by on call firefighters out with those times. The second appliance will continue to be crewed by on call firefighters; AND
  • Introduce a nucleus crew of wholetime firefighters at Galashiels. They can be tactically deployed across the area during day-shift hours when on call availability is most challenging. This would supplement the existing two appliances, one crewed by wholetime firefighters and the other crewed by on call firefighters. 

Midlothian, East Lothian and Scottish Borders

 

North Service Delivery Area

Option description

LSO area
  • Replace the third appliance at Perth, which is a combined aerial rescue pump (CARP) with a dedicated high reach appliance (HRA). The third appliance (CARP) was temporarily withdrawn and replaced with an HRA in September 2023.  

Perth, Kinross, Angus and Dundee
  • Close the long-term dormant station on the isle of Fetlar.

Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland
  • Close the long-term dormant station at Nethy Bridge.

 

Highland
  • Close the long-term dormant station at Ratagan.

 

Highland
  • Close the long-term dormant station on the Isle of Muck

 

Highland
  • Remove the wholetime appliance at Balmossie and maintain one on call appliance at the station; AND

 

  • Reinstatement of second wholetime appliance at Kingsway East that was temporarily removed in September 2023. 

 

Perth, Kinross, Angus and Dundee
  • Close Balmossie which currently has one wholetime appliance and one on call appliance; AND

 

  • Reinstatement of second wholetime appliance at Kingsway East that was temporarily removed in September 2023. 

 

Perth, Kinross, Angus and Dundee

West Service Delivery Area

Option description

LSO area
  • Close the long-term dormant station at Colintraive.

East and West Dunbartonshire and Argyll & Bute
  • Close the long-term dormant station at Corriecravie on the isle of Arran.

East, North and South Ayrshire
  • Close the long-term dormant station on the Isle of Kerrera.

East and West Dunbartonshire and Argyll & Bute
  • Introduce a new system for the second appliance at Cumbernauld, which is currently crewed by wholetime firefighters. This would see that appliance crewed by wholetime firefighters during day shift hours from Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm and crewed by on call firefighters out with these hours. The first wholetime appliance would be unchanged; AND

 

  • Reduce the number of wholetime appliances based at Hamilton from two to one. The second appliance was temporarily withdrawn in September 2023.

 

Lanarkshire
  • Introduce a new system for the second appliance at Cumbernauld, which is currently crewed by wholetime firefighters. This would see that appliance crewed by wholetime firefighters during day shift hours from Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm and crewed by on call firefighters out with these hours. The first wholetime appliance would be unchanged; AND

 

  • Introduce a new system for the second appliance at Hamilton, which is currently crewed by wholetime firefighters. This would see that appliance crewed by wholetime firefighters during day shift hours from Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm. The first wholetime appliance would be unchanged; AND

 

  • Add an additional wholetime appliance at Bellshill to increase the station to two appliances. The second appliance would be crewed by wholetime firefighters during day shift hours from Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm. The first wholetime appliance would be unchanged; AND

 

  • Introduce a nucleus crew of wholetime firefighters at Lesmahagow. They can be tactically deployed across the area during day-shift hours when on call availability is most challenging. This would supplement the existing one appliance crewed by on call firefighters.

 

Lanarkshire
  • Replace the second wholetime appliance at Greenock, which is a combined aerial rescue pump (CARP) with a dedicated high reach appliance. The second appliance (CARP) was temporarily withdrawn and replaced with a high reach appliance (HRA) in September 2023. 

 

East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde
  • Replace the second wholetime appliance at Greenock, which is a combined aerial rescue pump (CARP) with a dedicated high reach appliance. The second appliance (CARP) was temporarily withdrawn and replaced with a high reach appliance (HRA) in September 2023; AND

 

  • Introduce a new system for the third appliance at Greenock, which is currently crewed by on call firefighters. This would see that appliance crewed by wholetime firefighters during day shift hours from Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm and crewed by on call firefighters out with these hours. The first wholetime appliance would be unchanged; AND

 

  • Introduce a new system for the first appliance at Port Glasgow, which is currently crewed by wholetime firefighters. This would see that appliance crewed by wholetime firefighters during day shift hours from Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm and crewed by on call firefighters out with  these hours. The second on call appliance would be unchanged.

 

East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde
  • Introduce a new system for the first appliance at Helensburgh, which is currently crewed by wholetime firefighters. This would see that appliance crewed by wholetime firefighters during day shift hours from Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm and crewed by on call firefighters out with these hours. The second on call appliance would be unchanged.

 

East and West Dunbartonshire and Argyll & Bute
  • Rebuild Cowcaddens on Maitland Street site and maintain two wholetime appliances. Reinstatement of second appliance that was temporarily withdrawn September 2023; AND

 

  • Reduce the number of wholetime appliances based at Govan from two to one. The second appliance was temporarily withdrawn in September 2023; AND

 

  • Reduce the number of wholetime appliances based at Springburn from two to one; AND

 

  • Close Yorkhill which has one wholetime appliance based there; AND

 

  • Reinstatement of second wholetime appliance at Maryhill that was temporarily removed in September 2023. 

 

City of Glasgow
  • Reduce the number of wholetime appliances based at Govan from two to one. The second appliance was temporarily withdrawn in September 2023; AND

 

  • Close Cowcaddens which has two wholetime appliances based there. Maintain ownership of the neighbouring Maitland Street site for future development; AND

 

  • Reinstatement of second wholetime appliance at Maryhill that was temporarily removed in September 2023. 

 

City of Glasgow
  • Introduce a new system for the appliance at Milngavie, which is currently crewed by wholetime firefighters. This would see the appliance crewed by wholetime firefighters during day shift hours from Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm and crewed by on call firefighters out with these hours.

 

East and West Dunbartonshire and Argyll & Bute