A decision on the future of coastguard stations including Portland is expected to be made this week.

The government could perform a U-turn over proposals to close coastguard stations following a fierce reaction from campaigners fearing lives will be put at risk.

Cost cutting measures, which have been described as “unwise and short sighted” by the House of Commons transport committee, would reduce the number of 24-hour stations nationwide from 18 to three.

Under initial plans Dorset would lose its Portland station and be covered by an expanded “super-centre” on the Solent. The nearest of five sub-centres working during daylight hours would be at Falmouth.

Following public consultation on the closures and downgrading of services, transport secretary Phillip Hammond is expected to confirm this week that 11 coastguard stations will stay open – not eight – and will continue a 24-hour operation.

South Dorset MP Richard Drax, who has been fighting the plans said: “If the super-centres have been dumped I think we have a very good chance of keeping the Portland coastguard station open.”

However if the super-centres were still part of the plan he feared that Portland, which has a helicopter, would close, putting 27 jobs at risk.

He said Weymouth and Portland Borough Council had put in a strong application to host the super-centre in Weymouth.

“Whether they would ever consider moving it to Weymouth, I have no idea,” he said.

A source at the Department for Transport was quoted at the weekend as saying: “While the overall strategy of modernisation of the coastguards has not changed, we have adapted our plans according to the responses we have received.

“Rather than sticking dogmatically to the original proposals, this shows that we have listened and responded to people’s concerns – particularly about the need to retain experienced staff and the loss of local knowledge.”

An announcement is expected to be made in the next few days.