Union members say that restrictions on retained firemen’s working time will have “grave implications” on their flexible duty system.

They fear communities could be left without local fire cover leading to an increase in emergency response times from the full time stations.

MEPs voted in Brussels last week to change the working time directive by removing the UK Opt-Out, British workers’ right to free themselves from the 48 hour limit by signing a disclaimer.

Retained Firefighters Union (RFU) assistant national officer Paul Taylor believes some of Moray’s nine retained stations could now be put under threat.

“It is a worst case scenario, but should the RDS (Retained Duty System) become unviable, there are three wholetime fire stations to cover the length of the A96,” he said.

“We are going to continue working with the Scottish and UK governments to ensure that the retained fire stations are still in place across the country.”

Of Moray’s ten fire stations, nine are manned by part-time firefighters at Forres, Lossiemouth, Rothes, Aberlour, Dufftown, Fochabers, Keith, Buckie and Cullen.

Retained firefighters have employment outwith the fire service but work for them part time by responding to emergency calls in their local community.

Mr Taylor, himself a retained fireman in Forres, said many of his colleagues already worked 40 hours a week in their main job, and the legislation would leave them little time in the week for them to offer firefighting support in their local area.

Some trade unions favoured the EU ruling, but the RFU said workers had the right to free choice and the removal of the individual opt-out was a threat to this.

A spokesperson said: “Whilst the RFU seems to be isolated among other fire service unions on this issue, the fact remains that a decision to limit the hours of those who provide the majority of fire and rescue response in the UK together with officers on the flexible duty system will have grave implications.

“We call upon the UK government, and indeed will continue to work with them to fight this decision in the interests of public safety in protecting the needs of those served by retained firefighters.”

The union stated that its members have their own responsibilities under health and safety laws to monitor their own availability for work, and denying them this option would undermine them.

“Appropriate management within the fire and rescue service has ensured that our members do not work excessive hours with any negative impact on their health, safety and welfare. There are arrangements in place to relieve crews at protracted incidents.

“Removal of the UK opt-out could see the RDS depleted across the UK with the alternatives being either no local fire cover and increased response times from locations further afield, or increases in wholetime establishments at huge cost to the tax payer at a time when there is great pressure on personal finances.”

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