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Plymouth council leader criticises 'bonkers' lifeboat plans for city - BBC News

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www.bbc.co.uk

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The image shows an orange and blue RNLI Severn-class lifeboat powering through rough water, throwing up a large spray of white foam as it travels at speed. The boat's name, RNLB Sybil Mullen Glover, is visible on the cabin side, along with the identification number 17-35, while a lighthouse stands in the background on the left and a cloudy grey sky hangs over the sea.

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Plymouth council leader criticises 'bonkers' RNLI lifeboat replacement plans

Overview

Plymouth City Council leader Tudor Evans has criticised RNLI plans to replace the city's Severn-class all-weather lifeboat with a smaller Coastal class vessel in 2030, claiming there was no consultation and that the change will diminish local rescue services. The RNLI defended the decision, stating that analysis of national rescues shows 98% of responses occur within 10 nautical miles of the coast and that the new vessel reflects changing patterns in water use.

Key points

  • Plymouth City Council leader Tudor Evans described RNLI plans to replace the city's Severn-class lifeboat with a smaller Coastal class model in 2030 as 'bonkers'.
  • Evans stated there was no consultation regarding the change and argued it would diminish the service offered from Plymouth.
  • The RNLI defended the move, citing data showing 98% of its lifeboat responses between 2017 and 2025 were within 10 nautical miles of the coast.
  • The RNLI noted that the new Coastal class vessel features modern technology and is designed to handle incidents closer to shore where people increasingly get into difficulty.
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