The new Rochester Fire Station and road safety centre is now officially open.

The centre is the first purpose-built facility of its kind in the UK and will teach young people how to improve their safety via powerful stories, interactive experiences and information from road safety experts.

The centre will be operated by staff and firefighters from Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) as well as other agencies, including Kent Police and Highways England.

The new facility in Marconi Way was opened by the chairman of the Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority, Nick Chard.

Youngsters from Gad’s Hill School, Higham, were also at the opening to try out the new centre, known as the Road Safety Experience (RSE).

Mr Chard said: “Over 177 car occupants aged 16 to 24 have been killed or seriously injured on Kent’s roads in the last three years.

“Providing first class road safety education is vital if we are to keep our young people safe, influence their attitudes and behaviours and help them become responsible drivers.

“We are delighted to have been able to work with partners including Kent Police, Kent County Council, Medway Council and Highways England to bring this truly innovative experience to young people.”

The centre will provide supervised education visits for up to 95 young people a day. It is free to all schools, colleges and groups in the Towns and other parts of the county.

The RSE is predominantly aimed at youngsters aged between 14 to 25 and has been designed for schools to spend about four hours learning safety techniques.

Youngsters who go to the centre will see interactive exhibits, live demonstrations and thought-provoking displays.

Firefighters, police, ambulance crews and others will share their powerful testimonies of road crashes they have had to deal with, as well as giving their expert advice on how to say safe.

The centre has been built on land at the former park and ride site near Rochester Airport. It was identified as a good location to provide improved emergency cover and firefighters are based there round the clock.

Mr Chard said: “The risks and needs of the county are changing all the time and we need to be ready to respond to that. KFRS delivers an excellent service to local people and we are proud to be opening this new station and showcasing the work our firefighters do.

“As well as being a fire station, the building is a base for our North Kent group office and offers a base for ambulances from our partners at South East Coast Ambulance Service.”