SHIPLEY’S controversial new £4.5 million fire station opened today, as town’s former station and the one in Idle ceased operations.

The new site in Valley Road merges operations from the old Shipley fire station, built in Saltaire Road in 1977, and Idle fire station, built in 1956.

It is equipped with one pump and will be crewed by 24 full-time firefighters spread over four shifts, providing daily 24-hour emergency cover.

The two-bay station will also be a base for prevention work to raise public awareness of fire and road safety.

The new Shipley station will be officially opened on Monday, June 19, at an event to be attended by a number of dignitaries.

Bradford District Commander Martin Speed said: “The new Shipley station is fully operational.

“We are happy that the project has come to a successful conclusion.

“Both of the former Shipley and Idle stations have now closed.”

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) has applied to Bradford Council for permission to knock down the existing fire stations in Shipley and Idle.

Planning applications state that work to raze the two sites would start on Monday, June 5.

WYFRS said the work would be completed by August 25, after which the sites would be developed by the social housing landlord Incommunities.

The Idle and Shipley site will pass to Incommunities by September 17.

The housing group has confirmed a total of 22 new family homes will be built across the two sites.

An Incommunities spokesman said: “It is anticipated that Incommunities will take possession of the cleared fire station sites in autumn.

“The redevelopment of both sites will commence in early 2018.”

The decision to merge the two stations was made as part of an ongoing efficiencies programme implemented by WYFRS to manage financial deficits caused by cuts in Government funding. Fire chiefs say the new station will allow WYFRS to achieve “significant revenue savings without compromising public safety”.

But the closure of the two stations was previously criticised by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), and West Yorkshire secretary David Williams said it would be a “sad day” when they closed their doors.

He said: “Crews are planning to have a memorial drink to celebrate the times they have had there.

“The new station is almost in the middle of nowhere, it is a reduction in cover, and people are upset at losing their local fire stations.”