Burnham RNLI Home Page > Burnham RNLI News Archive

August 22, 2004
Car towed away after lifeboat is blocked again

Angry bosses at Burnham-On-Sea RNLI have carried out their threat of getting vehicles towed away if they prevent the town's lifeboat from launching.

A Vauxhall Omega was parked outside the station on Saturday night (August 21) in such a position that it would have prevented Burnham's two lifeboats being launched during an emergency.

Therefore, Burnham Lifeboat Operations Manager Martin Cox called on a local clamping company to remove the vehicle in conjunction with Avon and Somerset police. At 23:30, the car was taken to a compound at Weston-super-Mare and the owner now faces a £200 fine.

Martin Cox said: "24 hour access is essential for our crew members who may need to get into the station at a moment's notice to launch the lifeboats."

"On this occasion, we had no option but to ask for the car to be towed away as the lifeboat had to be ready for a safety exercise on Sunday morning when it was helping organisers during the annual Stert Island Swim."

A spokesman from Premier Parking, which towed away the car on behalf of Somerfields Supermarket and the RNLI, said: "The car was left in a life threatening position. If the RNLI had been called out, they would have had to physically smash their way through. We therefore took the decision that a tow away was essential."

New signs in the street outside the RNLI station clearly warn vehicle owners that they risk fines, clamping and even being towed away if they park on the double yellow lines.

The news comes just a fortnight after two cars blocked the Burnham-On-Sea lifeboat in at its station. See our earlier story here.

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