One of Kingston’s two fire engines could be lost under draft plans to cut millions of pounds from the emergency service’s budget.

London Fire Brigade has drawn up several scenarios to save £65m over the next two years after being asked to make cuts by Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

Options include closing up to 21 London fire stations, losing 41 engines and shedding more than 1,000 firefighter posts.

The London Fire Brigade report said removing one of Kingston’s engines would only mean a seven-second delay in arriving at fires.

But Liberal Democrat London Assembly member Stephen Knight, who sits on the Fire Authority, said: “An extra minute will mean twice the size of the fire.”

Yusuf Timms, secretary for the Fire Brigades Union in south-west London, said: “Any cuts increases the risk to ourselves when we attend incidents and to the public.

“They are gambling with our safety.

“We have been asked to make savings just like every other public sector body, but the banks get a huge bailout because the Government believes they are more important, but the fire service can be cut back.”

The report used a computer modelling system to test the brigade’s performance against various austerity measures.

In four of the six scenarios presented, Kingston would go from being a two appliance station to just having one.

London Assembly Member Stephen Knight said the cuts were unacceptable and called on the Mayor to find an alternative.

He said: “Every fire requires two fire engines, so if Kingston only has one it could be 10 minutes before an engine from the next closest station arrives.”

London Fire Brigade Commissioner Ron Dobson said: “The brigade needs to make savings, but the full extent of those savings is not yet known so there are no proposals being made.

“Ongoing reports of individual stations closing are nothing but unfounded, sensationalised scare stories.”

Conservative London Assembly member Tony Arbour said: “There are no proposals for fire station closures. The Fire Authority is an independent body.

“Boris Johnson has not ordered any closures. The role of the Mayor is to set the budget. It is up to members to decide how to meet this.”

There are 169 appliances across 112 stations in the 33 London boroughs.

The LFEPA has devised several options that would cut between £25m and £50m from its budget, while largely maintaining average first response times between six minutes and second responses eight minutes.

The six main options, and how it affects Kingston, are set out below. There is no mention of changes to New Malden or Surbiton.

l Option 1 – £25m: 152 appliances at 95 stations. Kingston loses pump. First engine 5.59 minutes (three seconds slower). Second engine 8.58 minutes (26 seconds slower).

l Option 2 – £25m: 154 appliances at 91 stations. Kingston loses pump. First engine 5.59 minutes (three seconds slower) Second engine 8.58 minutes (26 seconds slower).

l Option 1 – £25m: 152 appliances at 95 stations with “borough rules” (ensuring boroughs outside target performance times do not get worse). Kingston not affected.

l Option 2 – £25m: 154 appliances at 91 stations with “borough rules” (as above). Kingston not affected.

l Option 1 – £50m: 128 appliances at 91 stations. Kingston loses pump. First engine 6.03 minutes (seven seconds slower), Second engine 9.05 minutes (33 seconds slower).

l Option 2 – £50m: 138 appliances at 81 stations. Kingston loses pump. First engine 6.02 minutes (six seconds slower) Second engine 9.04 minutes (32 seconds slower).

The report stated: “The modelling work is not complete and should not be taken as representing final plans.”