A COASTAL review which will help decide the future of Ceredigion’s only all-weather lifeboat has been pushed back until the autumn of next year due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

In June 2017, the RNLI revealed plans to replace New Quay's Mersey-class all-weather lifeboat with a smaller inshore Atlantic-class boat.

That prompted a huge outcry locally, with the Ceredigion Lifeboat Campaign set up to oppose the move.

Campaigners argued such a decision would leave a 70-mile gap in Cardigan Bay across Ceredigion without adequate cover. At the time, a petition opposing the move topped more than 10,000 signatures.

The RNLI had said the decision was based on the findings of a five-year coast review, but delayed implementing the plan until a further review scheduled for the beginning of 2021.

That has now been pushed back to the autumn of next year and the New Quay all-weather boat will continue its current operations.

An RNLI spokesperson said: “The coast review of Cardigan Bay was due to take place early in 2021.

“However in March this year, to comply with government regulations, the RNLI halted its scheduled coast review programme due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The charity hopes to safely resume this programme in spring 2021.

“Due to the pause in activity, the Cardigan Bay coast review will be delayed slightly and is now expected to place during the autumn of 2021.

“The later date is primarily due to travel restrictions and the desire to comply with regulations and minimise risk to the Ceredigion community.

“The RNLI is committed to engaging with stakeholders throughout this process to determine the future allocation of lifeboats in Cardigan Bay and will deliver a fair, open, and transparent consultation.

“It is our intention to allow our communities to feel part of the process. The outcome of the consultation will feed directly into the RNLI’s operations committee and will be shared in a timely way before the coast review.”