A BOLTON Fire Brigades' Union representative has branded the Government's latest reform bill for the fire service as potentially dangerous.

Ralph Twiss, FBU representative for Bolton and Wigan, said he had serious reservations about the Fire and Rescue Services Bill - the first substantial legislation to modernise the fire service in 50 years.

He called on the new measures to be tested before they become law.

The Bill, published this week, places greater emphasis on fire prevention and increasing the scope of the service to deal with civil emergencies.

The new measures will also recognise other duties beyond firefighting, such as attendance at road traffic accidents, responding to serious environmental disasters and dealing with the threat of terrorism.

But Mr Twiss said: "I am worried because the new measures have not yet been road tested. Moving towards fire prevention is a big risk and it could take us away from actually tackling fires. It's a dangerous system without any proof that it will work."

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has said he wants local fire authorities in England to move to greater co-ordination at a regional level, with the eventual goal of creating regional fire and rescue authorities accountable to regional assemblies. This blueprint, pioneered in the North-west, has now been included in the Bill.

The North West Regional Assembly, together with the NW Fire Assembly and NW Employers Association, signed an agreement which pledged them to collaborate to help influence the way Central Government plans services in the North-West region.

The Chairman of the North West Regional Assembly Cllr Tony McDermott said: "I welcome the Government's recognition of the regional dimension in the future delivery of fire and rescue services."

"We are proud of the groundbreaking work we have done with our partners and hope this model of collaboration will help the fire and rescue services make the North-west a safer place."

A BOLTON Fire Brigades Union representative has branded the Government's latest reform bill for the fire service as potentially dangerous.

Ralph Twiss, FBU representative for Bolton and Wigan, said he had serious reservations about the Fire and Rescue Services Bill -- the first substantial legislation to modernise the fire service in 50 years.

He called on the new measures to be tested before they become law.

The Bill, published this week, places greater emphasis on fire prevention and increasing the scope of the service to deal with civil emergencies.

The new measures will also recognise other duties beyond firefighting, such as attendance at road traffic accidents, responding to serious environmental disasters and dealing with the threat of terrorism.

Mr Twiss said: "I am worried because the new measures have not yet been road tested. Moving towards fire prevention is a big risk and it could take us away from actually tackling fires. It's a dangerous system without any proof that it will work."

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has said he wants local fire authorities in England to move to greater co-ordination at a regional level, with the eventual goal of creating regional fire and rescue authorities accountable to regional assemblies. This blueprint has now been included in the Bill.

The Chairman of the North West Regional Assembly Cllr Tony McDermott said: "I welcome the Government's recognition of the regional dimension in the future delivery of fire and rescue services."