LIB DEMS URGE MAYOR TO HELP FIGHT LONDON WEATHER CENTRE CLOSURE

10.11.54am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 5th Sep 2005

London Liberal Democrats have today written to Mayor Ken Livingstone to urge him to fight proposals to close the London Weather Centre.

The Met Office is currently conducting a 90-day consultation that could involve centralising all civilian forecasting services, including London, at its Exeter headquarters. The Liberal Democrats fear the loss of the weather centre could worsen the Met Office's quality of service to Transport for London, local authorities and residents in the capital.

The centralisation could, for example, affect the ability to predict when the Met Office would need to give advanced warning for winter gritting in London, as it would effectively be issued by computer in Exeter as opposed to experienced Meteorologists in the capital.

In their letter to the Mayor Lib Dem MP, Tom Brake, and Lib Dem London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, Geoff Pope, say:

"The possible closure of the Met Office in London should be of grave concern to you as Mayor and head of Transport for London as the quality of the advice about our the capital's micro-climate conditions would be severely impaired.

"Shutting down the London weather centre would directly affect organisations like Transport for London and local authorities. They rely on up-to-date and expert weather information to help them make crucial decisions about what plans they need to put in place to keep roads, tubes, trains and buses running.

"No matter how advanced, an Exeter computer is no substitute for an experienced forecaster in the capital who has first hand knowledge of the areas and problems that London can face in extreme weather conditions.

"Inaccurate weather forecasts could spell traffic chaos and increase the chances of an accident. In order to keep our city moving, we need locally based forecasters who can offer accurate climate predictions.

"As Mayor you must help fight this closure by writing to the Ministry of Defence and the Met Office to urge them to save our weather centre. Without our support, we forecast that the outlook for the London Weather Centre looks bleak and stormy."

ENDS

Notes to editor

A copy of the consultation being carried out by the Met Office can be found at:-

http://www.metoffice.com/corporate/pressoffice/2005/consultation.pdf

Options 1, that appears to have been accepted by the Met Office, calls for full centralisation of public services forecasting to Exeter with partial automation of forecast production for commercial services.

A full copy of the letter to the Mayor can be found below:-

Dear Mr Livingstone

I would like to bring your attention to the proposed closure by the Met Office of London's Weather Centre. I don't know if you are aware, but since July, the Met Office has been conducting a consultation in a number of options to streamline the current weather forecasting facilities across the country.

One of the options suggested has been the centralisation of all local weather services to Exeter.

The possible closure of the Met Office in London should be of grave concern to you as Mayor and head of Transport for London as the quality of the advice about our the capital's micro-climate conditions would be severely impaired.

No matter how advanced, an Exeter computer is no substitute for an experienced forecaster in the capital who has first hand knowledge of the areas and problems that London can face in extreme weather conditions.

Shutting down the London weather centre would directly affect organisations like Transport for London and local authorities. They rely on up-to-date and expert weather information to help them make crucial decisions about what plans they need to put in place to keep roads, tubes, trains and buses running.

Inaccurate weather forecasts could spell traffic chaos and increase the chances of an accident. In order to keep our city moving, we need locally based forecasters who can offer accurate climate predictions.

As Mayor you must help fight this closure by writing to the Ministry of Defence and the Met Office to urge them to save our weather centre. Without our support, we forecast that the outlook for the London Weather Centre looks bleak and stormy.

Your office can find the consultation document at:-

http://www.metoffice.com/corporate/pressoffice/2005/consultation.pdf

Regards

Tom Brake MP

Member of Parliament for Carshalton and Wallington

Geoff Pope

Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member