Ambulance service to trial electric vehicles in the East
Funding's been secured for three vehicles to see how it goes
Funding for three rapid response vehicles, which are electric, has been secured as part of a trial by the East of England Ambulance Service.
It's part of wider efforts by the NHS to move towards zero emissions vehicles.
The quarter of a million pounds will be spent on two electric Skoda's and an electric Vauxhall van, and will also pay for their conversion to be medically equipped for responding in emergencies.
The money's all part of an NHS England pilot to support ambulance trusts to trial a range of zero emissions vehicles.
One of the Skoda's will be used as a 'standard' Rapid Response Vehicle, used to get to patients quickly.
The second will be used in a similar role in conjunction with blue light partners like the RAF, Fire and Police, initially in Bedfordshire, but later in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and Essex.
The money's also going to be used to install chargers around the region.
There are already charging points at a number of the trust's sites including in: Hellesdon, Luton, Barton Mills, Peterborough, King's Lynn, Chelmsford, Watford, Great Yarmouth and Stowmarket.
The Trust is expecting to share its findings with other NHS partners and will use the scheme to help decide which vehicles they buy in the future.