North Yorkshire firefighters launch industrial action

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

North Yorkshire firefighters have launched 19 days of industrial action in a dispute over new fire engines.

The work-to-rule is in protest against the introduction of smaller Tactical Response Vehicles (TRVs) which carry three crew instead of the usual four.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) action is due to last until 10 January.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) has said the TRVs would "have no significant adverse impact" on its service or on the safety of staff.

'Totally inadequate'

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".

Simon Wall, North Yorkshire FBU chairman, said: "We're not opposing the vehicles or the equipment, just the safety and the procedures.

"We have a meeting [with NYFRS management] scheduled for 5 January to discuss this and we're hoping to get a guarantee the public and staff safety won't be at risk of the changes."