North Yorkshire firefighters vote for industrial action

The new vehicles are smaller than a conventional fire engine and carry fewer crew members

Firefighters in North Yorkshire have voted for industrial action in a dispute over new fire engines.

Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) voted 90% in favour of action, short of a strike.

The row is over the introduction of smaller Tactical Response Vehicles (TRVs) which carry a crew of two instead of the usual four.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) described the ballot result as "disappointing and saddening".

The decision to replace six fire engines at six of the county's 38 fire stations in order to save £1.5m a year was approved in December 2015.

The FBU claimed the new vehicles were "totally inadequate to meet the needs of firefighters".

'Utter disgrace'

Steve Howley, North Yorkshire FBU secretary said: "These proposals are not only a cut in the level of service the tax payers pay for. They pose a danger to the public and firefighters alike.

"It is an utter disgrace."

In a statement, NYFRS said: "Risk assessments and analysis of impact undertaken, over the last three years, suggest that the introduction of TRVs will have no significant adverse impact on the service to the public or to the safety of staff.

"There has been extensive consultation with the FBU over the last two and half years about introduction of the TRVs but they are unwilling to accept new ways of working".