The closure of two Oxfordshire fire stations "remains" a possibility
The stations which could be impacted are at Rewley Road and Kiddlington
The closure of two fire stations “remains” a possibility, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed, amid fears for “draconian cuts”.
In April 2026, proposals to close several stations and remove fire engines were scrapped amid protests, consultation anger, and the potential for strikes.
Now, the potential for closures has re-emerged with major science park plans for north Oxford, which include provision for a previously stalled new fire station which could replace two existing sites.
The stations which could be impacted are at Rewley Road and Kiddlington – discarded proposals to close Woodstock, Eynsham and Henley remain off the table.
At Oxfordshire County Council on June 30, members across the political spectrum expressed concern about the situation.
There was a question on whether previous “draconian cuts” could “simply resurface later on”, whether conversations with the fire service were going on, and how the city would be served if Rewley Road closed.
Deputy leader and cabinet member for resources Neil Fawcett said no decisions have been made as he described “trade-offs” to be made.
Mr Fawcett suggested the “current set-up” focuses resources on protecting “historic buildings in the centre of Oxford”, which he said is “perfectly reasonable”, but means other parts of the county “get less of a service”.
He said “collaborative discussions with representatives of the FBU Fire Brigades Union, chaired by an independent person” have now started to “try and come forward with positive proposals to enable us to use the resources that we spend on our fire and rescue service in the best possible way and to make changes to the workforce in a way that helps us deliver our objectives.”
An Oxfordshire Fire Service spokesperson said: “Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet agreed in April 2026 to withdraw the proposals relating to Woodstock, Eynsham and Henley fire stations.
“There are no plans to close these stations, and we are instead focusing on local recruitment and community engagement to help improve the number of on-call firefighters at these stations and improve fire engine availability.”
Referring to the £900M science district proposal by Exeter College which includes a North Oxford fire station plan.
He explained there are “currently no proposals under consideration to close any fire stations in relation to this work” as “proposals relating to a potential future fire station in the north of Oxford would require further work before any decisions are made”.
They said: “While the long-term potential for closures remains, that proposal was paused due to uncertainty around developer negotiations and the need for further engagement with colleagues and our communities.”
There are shift pattern discussions ongoing with the FBU to introduce 12-hour day shifts at five currently on-call fire stations.
The spokesperson added: “We continue to engage with our colleagues and the FBU, as part of ongoing work to review and develop our future operating model.”