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West Yorkshire: New fire engines part of £20m fleet upgrade

Phil Bodmer/BBC New fire engines in LeedsPhil Bodmer/BBC
Three new vehicles have been delivered to West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue so far

A fleet of 58 new fire engines are beginning to be used on 999 emergency calls in West Yorkshire.

The move, part of a £20m vehicle upgrade, will improve safety for both the public and firefighters aboard, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said.

New technology included higher aerial ladder platforms, along with improved handling and navigation.

The new fleet replaces vehicles up to 15 years old, with each new engine costing approximately £300,000.

The funding for the new fleet has come from capital reserves.

"There's loads of new gadgets that makes firefighting easier," a fire service watch manager said.

The 18 tonne (18,000kg) engines also include a "clean cab" design, the fire service said, with contaminated clothing and breathing apparatus housed away from the cab.

Two pumps and an aerial ladder platform have been delivered to the service so far, with further arrivals expected soon.

Phil Bodmer/BBC Fire engine in LeedsPhil Bodmer/BBC
A key improvement is the extra height provided by new aerial ladder platforms, the fire service says

"The money that we've spent will improve the operational response that we provide to the public and will show a significant operational impact," said David Teggart.

Mr Teggart, an area manager for operation support at the service, added: "Approximately £20m is an awful lot of money - as an organisation that's something that we feel is the right thing to invest in."

Despite the high weight carried aboard the new fleet, the fire service said the machines were proving popular with crews.

Andre Seelig, watch manager at Leeds Kirkstall Road fire station, said: "You would imagine they would be quite difficult to handle, but they're a great bit of kit.

"The drivers that have trained on them have reported they feel really stable and feel like a really good vehicle to drive."

The rollout of new vehicles will take approximately 12 months and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue were hopeful the new fleet will be fully operational by mid-2025.

The older fire engines are decommissioned and sold on, mainly through authorised motor auctions.

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