SIR – In his recent letter (T&A, September 19), Mr Lyons, of Baildon Lib Dems, uses the current fire station closures as an opportunity to bash the Labour-led Fire Authority. Not so fast, Mr Lyons!

Surely he is also aware that it is the intention to merge the former Rawdon and Otley stations at a new site in Menston ? I suggest that far from a worse situation, he will probably see improved attendance times to Baildon than is currently possible from Shipley station.

In addition, he may also wish to consider that it is the massive local authority budget cuts from his own penny-pinching and diabolical Coalition Government that has forced the hands of councils (and by definition fire authorities).

Finally, if he still feels the need to demonstrate concern for attendance times following the proposed new station deployments, he should consider the people who live in the BD10 areas of Idle , Thackley , Greengates , Thorpe Edge and Ravenscliffe , who will be able to grow bushy and luxuriant beards while waiting for fire service attendance.

Christopher Hindle (former fire officer), Osterley Grove, Bradford