The SNP have been accused of “chronic neglect” of Scotland’s fire service in the wake of shock new statistics revealing that 20 per cent of fire engines are more than 20 years old and almost three quarters are more than a decade old.
A Freedom of Information response received by the Scottish Conservatives shows that 97 of the 480 appliances used by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are more than two decades old.
In addition, 351 (73 per cent) are more than ten years old, while just one new fire engine has come into operation during the last two years.
The oldest operational vehicle entered service in February 2000, back when Donald Dewar was First Minister, while another, which is used for training purposes, is 28 years old.
Shadow minister for community safety Sharon Dowey condemned the SNP’s “biting” cuts which she said were putting the safety of firefighters and the public at risk.
Scottish Conservative shadow minister for community safety Sharon Dowey MSP said: “These damning figures lay bare the scale of the SNP’s chronic neglect of Scotland’s fire engine fleet.
“The safety of our dedicated firefighters, and the public who rely on them in emergency situations, must never be compromised. But that is exactly what Nationalist ministers are doing by failing to provide them with modern and reliable fire engines to adequately protect the public.
“Years of SNP budget cuts are biting across our emergency services. It’s deeply concerning that just one new fire engine has come into service in the last two years.
“Hard-working Scots will rightfully ask where their money is going, given they are paying higher taxes than anyone else in the UK.
“SNP ministers must prioritise delivering the resources necessary to upgrade this ageing fleet to one that is resilient and fit for purpose.”
Notes to editors:
20% of fire engines in Scotland are over 20 years old. There are 480 fire engines currently in use by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, of which 97 are between 20 and 28 years old. Twenty-three are 20 years old, 27 are 21 years old, 16 are 22 years old, 15 are 23 years old, 11 are 24 years old, four are 25 years old and one is 28 years old. (SFRS FOI, 7 May 2025, available upon request)
73% of fire engines in Scotland are over 10 years old. There are 480 fire trucks in use by the SFRS and 351 came into service between 10 and 28 years ago. (SFRS FOI, 7 May 2025, available upon request)
The oldest operational fire engine entered service in February 2000 when Donald Dewar was First Minister. The oldest operational fire engine is 25 years old and came into service on 1 February 2000. At that time, Donald Dewar was still First Minister, Bill Clinton was still the US President, and the iPhone was still seven years away from being invented. (SFRS FOI, 7 May 2025, available upon request)
The oldest fire engine is 28 years old and is used as a training vehicle. This means firefighters in Scotland are training using a vehicle that came into service in the late 1990s. (SFRS FOI, 7 May 2025, available upon request)
In the past two years, only one fire engine entered service. No fire engine entered service within the past year and only one entered service within the past two years. (SFRS FOI, 7 May 2025, available upon request).