Devon fire and rescue authority have objected to safety improvements on a busy Exeter bridge.
The fire authority are against county council proposals to place a width restriction on Chancel Lane bridge in Pinhoe, however councillors have voted for the improvements despite the objection.
The county council wants to narrow the bridge to prevent large vehicles using it and also to reduce speeds over it.
The fire authority said such a restriction would prevent them using the bridge, meaning a delayed response time of one minute 10 seconds to reach Beacon Heath which it considers a high risk area.
Initially highways officers had suggested a width limit of 2metres but this was increased to 2.75metres following the objection.
However, despite the compromise the fire authority are still objecting, asking for a width of 3.7metres.
The issue was discussed at the latest meeting of Exeter highways committee and Emma Morse, county councillor for Pinhoe and Mincinglake said that she felt that they were being asked to decide the issue with a lot of facts missing.
Cllr Morse said: "The fire authority objections seems to be based on 'what ifs' but there are a lot of 'what ifs' on the other side as well, such as what if another vehicle hit the bridge, as happened recently. and this lead to the closure of what is a main railway line.
"We don't know from what they have told us how many times they use this road.
"We are working so hard to get this right but they are not giving us a lot."
Olwen Foggin, county councillor for Heavitree and Whipton Barton, said she was amazed about the objection when the fire authority had spend thousands of pounds on smaller vehicles to be able to get to places such as this.
The committee decided to support the safety measures, which include minor pavement improvements crossing from the bottom of Chancel Lane towards Thursby Walk, although members were aware that when the scheme was advertised to allow people to comment the fire authority would again object – meaning it would have to be referred back to the highways committee.
