Fire crews say the proposal is unsafe and could lead to delays

Staff from Bath demonstrated on Wednesday during a regional tour by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

It follows a decision to use a privately-run control room instead of any of the existing South West fire services' call centres.

Chris Taylor, chair of Avon Fire Brigade Union said: "The union has always opposed joint control rooms."

The government wants fire services in Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Avon, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall to be run from one control room.

'Not a better service'

But the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) says one centre would not be able to cope with a large number of calls from seven brigades, and lead to delayed response times and could cost lives.

Mr Taylor said: "We don't think regional control rooms are cost effective, will not provide a better service and the call centre operators will not necessarily have all the local knowledge.

"There is talk that it could be a private finance initiative like the prison service - and as we all know that doesn't work."

Last month, Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, announced that none of the bids from the county fire services to run the new regional centre would be considered.

Instead, there are plans to use a site proposed by a private company.

The location of the privately-proposed sites are not being released, but the site will be confirmed in the New Year.