Richard Drax, MP for South Dorset, has renewed the ‘Save the Portland Helicopter’ e-petition.
The petition, which was due to expire later this month, is on the Government e=petition website and can be viewed here: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/36619
Richard Drax has renewed it with the full blessing and cooperation of the previous instigator of the petition, Dr Mew.
“The reason that this petition is so significant is that the Government has undertaken to consider a Commons debate for any petition attracting more than 100,000 signatures,” says Drax.
“This is the magic number to aim for. The last petition had already attracted over 18,000 signatures by the time it expired. We are asking all those who signed it last time to sign this one too and to ask their friends and families to join in.”
“We must get a proper discussion in Parliament about the loss of this very valuable asset.”
“Anyone who has been following this will know there has been no public consultation over the closure because the Department for Transport says that the service will be ‘improved’.”
“This is in spite of an outcry from anyone with any expertise in the emergency and rescue services. It simply doesn’t make sense that closing helicopter bases could improve the service, as the DfT claims. No matter how fast the new helicopters are, they cannot be in two places at once.”
“We have so much evidence that our helicopter is necessary; in the past few weeks alone, it has rescued fishermen, divers and those stranded by floods.”
“I fear that this could cost lives unless there is a rethink.”
Drax also questions the timing of the closure. “It is ironic that the helicopter will go only after the Olympic sailing games are over. It is a great asset to have during the Games; it will be no less an asset if Weymouth is to develop in future, as we hope, as an elite sailing area.”