Sixty vehicles are being rolled out across London in the coming weeks as part of a refresh of the London Ambulance Service (LAS) fleet ahead of winter.
The upgraded, lightweight Ford vehicles have been designed with input from frontline crews and aim to improve both patient experience and crew safety.
Pauline Cranmer, chief paramedic at LAS, said: “We are strengthening our fleet to provide the best possible care for Londoners as the colder months begin to bite.
“Our crews need a robust, modern fleet that is adapted to care for the needs of the nine million people living in the capital.
“That’s why we’re focusing on replacing our older fleet with cleaner and more reliable alternatives.
“The ambulances have been designed to treat patients in the capital – lower emissions vehicles that are lightweight, more accessible and digitally enabled for the future so they can harness the latest technology.”
The new ambulances form part of a 460-vehicle fleet that will be in service across the capital this winter.
Each vehicle is equipped with specialist features to make patient transport easier and safer for staff, including an automatic trolley bed and a powered chair.
These additions are intended to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries among crews and support safer patient movement.
Rob Mullin, a paramedic, and Assistant Ambulance Practitioner Michael Mulryan were among the first to operate one of the new vehicles during a morning shift from Edmonton Ambulance Station.
Mr Mullin said: “These new ambulances allow us to treat patients quickly by using advanced equipment that is better for our own health and safety and more comfortable for our patients.”
During their shift, the crew assisted an elderly person who had fallen, a patient experiencing breathing difficulties, and another with abdominal pain.
