EXCLUSIVE Wes Streeting urged to ditch 'absurd' bid to electrify all UK ambulances within 15 years
Health Secretary Wes Streeting faced calls last night to ditch the 'absurd' Net Zero plan to electrify all UK ambulances within 15 years.
The cash-strapped NHS is preparing to abandon all its diesel ambulances and install almost 5,000 charging points at hospitals and ambulance stations to power a fleet of electric-powered vehicles.
Health chiefs have refused to reveal how much the new ambulances will cost, but official figures seen by the Mail on Sunday reveal it will cost £100million just to upgrade the grid and electrical infrastructure required for charging points.
The MoS can also reveal there are currently just two electric-powered ambulances picking up passengers in England – compared with more than 4,500 diesel ambulances. There are 160 other electric emergency vehicles for paramedics, including two cars, 16 response vans and three motorbikes.
The latest electric ambulances have a range of up to 200 miles, but paramedic crews in rural areas often travel further in a shift.
Latest figures show the average response time in England for the most life-threatening 'category-one' ambulance calls is seven minutes and 52 seconds – compared with an NHS target of seven minutes.
Last night Nick Timothy MP, former chief of staff to ex-prime minister Theresa May, said: 'Ambulance services have been struggling to meet their response targets. With these challenges it is absurd to distract NHS workers from their jobs with unrealistic Net Zero targets.
'Time, planning and expense are going into buying electric vehicles and building chargers – many of which will never be installed – instead of improving response times.
'Even more concerning is the challenge of upgrading the grid in time to meet the extra demand.
'This is yet another case of climate policy racing ahead of technology with shocking results for patients and taxpayers.'
England's first electric ambulance began operating in the West Midlands in 2020. Another eight will be delivered this year to be used in urban areas such as Birmingham.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said: 'Seventy per cent of our area is mainly rural and this continues to be the biggest factor in our move to electric – having the range to operate in areas where vehicles can do 200 miles-plus in a shift.'
East of England Ambulance Service has been trialling three electric ambulances since 2023, but has not used them to transport passengers. Another eight will be delivered to the service this year.
The Department of Health said: 'New electric ambulances will save the NHS £59million a year to reinvest in frontline care.'
The NHS said: 'It is right we seek sustainable alternatives when they improve patient care and save the taxpayer money. Electric ambulances will not impact response times, [and] are cutting emissions, maintenance and fuel costs.'
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