New ambulance fleet takes to the road
A fleet of new ambulances is set to hit the region’s roads after West Midlands Ambulance Service took delivery of over 100 new emergency vehicles.
The ambulance trust is continuing with a ‘significant’ investment in vehicle replacements following the delivery of 74 frontline ambulances and 30 Skoda 4x4 rapid response cars at a cost of £8millon.
WMAS currently has over 300 ambulances and 200 rapid response vehicles. With older vehicles being decommissioned as part of the fleet programme, WMAS will now have one of the most modern 999 fleet of any ambulance service in the country.
Craig Cooke, WMAS Support Services Director, said: “Our aim is to replace ageing vehicles and, in addition, to support our work on increasing ambulance capacity. The new vehicles will mean that for the first time the age of our 999 fleet is less than five years old for the core emergency fleet. This investment in new vehicles will help us provide high quality clinical services, improve the comfort and care to patients and offer a much better working environment for our staff.”
The new vehicles being delivered throughout the region will be replacements for older vehicles. However, the fleet team is currently completing the procurement of further emergency vehicles in addition to those being replaced. It is anticipated that these vehicles will be available for operational use later in the year.
The new Fiat Ducato ambulance will also be more environmentally friendly, featuring the latest innovations in fuel economy and low emissions.
