Could Scarborough see Electric Ambulances?

Wednesday, 28 September 2022 06:00

By Matthew Pells

The town is set to get a new Ambulance station and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service says it is looking at Electric Ambulances.

Those are just two of the innovations discussed at the Yorkshire Ambulance Services AGM yesterday, where the organisations leaders talked about their plans for the year ahead and looked at some of the challenges they have faced over the last 12 months.

The Service says it has seen a 25 percent increase in calls over the last year. Chief Exec, Rod Barnes, said much of the increase was during the pandemic, he also said they will be investing in new kit and capabilities, including a new ambulance station for Scarborough.

Scarborough has an existing ambulance station on Queen Margaret’s Road. The new ambulance station will be built on land on Woodlands Drive in the town close to the emergency care centre being built at Scarborough Hospital. Located next to Graham School and Woodlands Academy, the land has been used as a playing field for various sports activities.

Building work to create a new £47m emergency care centre is currently ongoing. A new £500,000 helipad was opened at Scarborough Hospital in March, which will allow larger helicopters and night landings for the first time. The new ambulance station will further add to the facilities at the site.

The Yorkshire Ambulance service has been investing in it's facilities across the county with upgrade works recently completed at the Leeds Ambulance Station and a new station built in Bradford which includes solar panels on the roof.

Chief Executive, Rod Barnes, says they are looking at ways to make any new buildings environmentally friendly and says they are also looking at electric ambulances.