Residents in Waltham Forest are waiting longer for the fire brigade to arrive after three engines were taken from the borough, according to London Assembly Members.

Response times were handed to members of the London Assembly this week, showing that some Waltham Forest wards now have to wait more than the six-minute target time before help arrives with response time increasing by 54 seconds in Waltham Forest.

Waltham Forest had three fire engines removed from its fire service in recent cuts.

In total response times have increased in 13 out of 19 Hackney wards, 10 out of 16 Islington wards and 11 out of 20 Waltham Forest wards.

Labour Member Jennette Arnold OBE said the number of areas where response times have increased shows that despite assurances from the Mayor, his cuts to the fire service have increased the threat to public safety.

London Assembly Labour Group Fire Spokesperson, Fiona Twycross AM, said: “Fires can take hold in seconds that’s why any increase in response times can be so dangerous.

“As a result of Boris Johnson’s decision to close ten fire stations and with the removal of a further 13 fire engines, even when they are not needed for strike cover, we have seen response times rise in over half of the capital’s wards including significant increases in Hackney, Islington and Waltham Forest.

“Londoners will be deeply concerned that since the closures it could take significantly longer for a fire engine to reach their home. These latest figures show is that in most of London’s wards it will now take longer to get to fires than it did last year, that is unacceptable.”