The Mayor of London is pressing ahead with plans to close Clapham Fire Station and 11 others in London.

Last week the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) voted to not consult on the current proposals, which would save £45m in two years.

But Boris Johnson has directed the authority to start consultation on the unamended version of the Draft Fifth London Safety Plan.

In a statement released yesterday Mr Johnson blasted LFEPA for their amendments, which he said would be impossible under the set budget.

He also said the amendments could lead to compulsory firefighter redundancies, while this would be avoided under the current proposals.

Mr Johnson said: "There have been some outrageous claims that the fire commissioner and I would put lives of Londoners at risk, so I have directed the plans to go for consultation as planned because the option presented by the authority is unfit for purpose and unsustainable in budget terms.

"It is essential that the London Fire Brigade continues to modernise so that it can remain one of the world's leading rescue services and is equipped to respond to 21st century fire fighting needs.

"With 100 fire stations and over 150 fire engines, I am completely resolute that any agreed proposals will still be able to deal with large scale or multiple emergencies."

Hundreds of firefighters staged a protest outside the LFEPA meeting at the London Fire Brigade headquarters on Union Street last week.

A public meeting on Clapham Fire Station is taking place on February 11, in The Bread and Roses, Clapham Manor Street, from 7pm.