New electric vehicles hit the road for East of England Ambulance Service
It's hoped it'll help them decide what to buy in the future
Last updated 28th Jun 2022
New electric vehicle's are going to be hitting the roads in the East as rapid response vehicles with the East of England Ambulance Service.
It's part of a wider move by the NHS to try and reduce its emissions.
The two electric Skoda's and Vauxhall van have been converted into response vehicles.
One of the cars is being used to get to patients quickly, while the second is being used by other blue-light partners (RAF, fire and police) - initially in Bedfordshire, but later in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Essex,
While the van's being used in various roles, including a falls response vehicle and a mental health response vehicle.
Tom Abell, Chief Executive of EEAST, said: “The NHS has committed to being net-zero of carbon emissions by 2045.
"As a healthcare service that travels to our patients, the implications for that will be wide-ranging as our entire fleet will have to eventually move away from internal combustion engines.
“Initial trials have shown that with the right vehicles, infrastructure and systems, electric vehicles can be used without impacting on operational performance – or, most importantly, patient safety.
“We are therefore very pleased to take part in this pathfinder scheme, which will not only help us trial the latest electric vehicles, but also enable us to start installing the electrical infrastructure that will ensure we are ready for the future.”
The scheme's cost £250k and includes installing new charging infrastructure.
There are already chargers at a number of sites including:
Hellesdon
Luton
Barton Mills
Peterborough
King's Lynn
Chelmsford
Watford
Great Yarmouth
Stowmarket
More chargers are going to be installed in Bedfordshire and Essex using this funding.
It's hoped the two-year trial will help the NHS decide what to buy in the future.