Three firefighter strikes are going ahead this weekend and St Albans fire station have confirmed they will be taking part.

Fewer firefighters will be at the London Road station today from midday until 5pm as part of a national walk-out over pension changes.

A strike will also happen tomorrow from 2pm until 2am the next morning and finally on Sunday from 10am to 3pm.

Roy Wilsher, director of community protection and chief fire officer, said: “We are extremely disappointed that the Fire Brigades Union has announced more strikes.

“It’s hard to see how this is going to help resolve their dispute with the government.

“This repeated strike action in a key public service is ill-conceived and the safety of the people of Hertfordshire should not be used as a bargaining tool.”

Tony Smith, of Herts Fire Brigade Union (FBU), said: “After three years of negotiations and a delay of 17 weeks since the last strike, the FBU had written to the government asking for new proposals based on their discussions to be made by Thursday 24 April, but no new offer was made by that date.

“As a result of strike dates being set, the Westminster fire minister, Brandon Lewis, wrote to the union saying the government was no longer willing to discuss the issue and would now impose their proposals.

“The FBU has never walked away from discussion and our members have been patient and measured in their approach, but we will not simply stand by while government imposes a pension scheme that is totally unworkable, unaffordable, unsustainable and unfair.”