JUST a day after it was opened, Poole's new fire station was branded a threat to road safety.

Bournemouth councillor Roger West was among those invited to tour the new building at Marshes End on Thursday.

But, while he approved of the station, he has accused Poole council planners of being "barking mad" for not adequately screening it from the road, or slowing vehicles approaching the busy Holes Bay Roundabout, where traffic from the new station exits.

He told the Echo: "To permit a new fire station to be built at this busy junction without good screening seems more than just daft.

"It is inevitable that there will be accidents in the area as the attention of motorists will be distracted, particularly with firefighting exercises going on in the yard."

He also called for traffic speed to be reduced and sight lines for cars exiting the station to be improved.

John McBride, chief executive, Borough of Poole, said: "I have spoken to the chief fire officer together with head of planning Peter Watson and we agreed that some improvements to the screening of the site were needed.

"We have offered to send officers from our transportation and planning departments to the site to devise the best solution and are awaiting contact from the fire service to arrange this."

Chief fire officer Darran Gunter said a planning meeting would take place with planners in the next few weeks, when the type and location of screening would be discussed.

He added: "We will look at it from a safety perspective - what works best for the station and the safety of the road."

He said he was satisfied with the exit on the roundabout for non-emergency vehicles.

And he added: "At certain times of the day the road does get busy, and you've just got to be patient as you have at any other roundabout."

Firefighters going out on a "shout" are unlikely to encounter problems as warning lights on the approaches will be activated to stop traffic, allowing engines to exit safely.