DROITWICH fire station could close with the service being relocated nearer to the motorway.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service has unveiled the plans as part of a draft risk management plan. The news will concern some residents who would prefer the service to be closer and on hand to respond to emergencies directly in the town.

The plan would see the current station, off the Saltway, which is also used to train firefighters, moved closer to the M5 so that crews can reach other places more easily and with less congestion problems.

Spokesman for the authority, Alec Mackie, said: "These plans are for the long term. Droitwich will not lose a station, but will be gaining a new one.

"A new station would move to somewhere in the area which gives better access to the kind of incidents they attend.

"The draft integrated risk management plan is a long term plan that looks to improve a number of fire stations in Hereford and Worcester which have become outdated.

"Some stations have been overtaken by time and development and crews now need to travel further afield and deal with a greater increase in traffic congestion."

Mr Mackie also said that if the station did move then the training facility which is currently at the site would stay there.

There is now set to be a consultation period which will also gather the views of the public before being put to councils which make up the fire authority for a final decision about the plan.