Ambulance boss to provide update on Shrewsbury hub moving from 'dangerous' school zone
An ambulance service is to provide an update on moving its current hub after pleas from campaigners to move it away from a school zone.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service representative is due to speak at a Shrewsbury Town Council planning meeting next Tuesday.
The representative is expected to discuss outline plans for a replacement operational base in Shrewsbury.
The current base is in Mercian Close, near Meole Brace School and The Priory School. Road safety campaigners have raised concerns that children have been hit by vehicles on several occasions, and heavy traffic makes the area dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists.
No ambulances have been involved in crashes in the West Midlands for the last three years, but residents are concerned about paramedics having to mount kerbs and battle through heavy traffic when rushing to 999 emergencies.
Late last year, Craig Cooke, the WMAS operational support services director, told a Radbrook Road Safety Group meeting: “The project is my next priority, my number one priority. There is no estates priority in front of this one. It has a lease life. We are serious about replacing this one.”
Mr Cooke revealed that the hub was busier than it would normally be because of increasing pressures on the service.
“Every crew that books on has an emergency waiting for them,” he said.
If pressures weren’t so acute, ambulances would be out and about in the community instead. Chiefs hope that a bigger hub would be better for the Shrewsbury area where a rising population is increasing demands.
Radbrook councillor Julia Evans submitted a motion ahead of a recent Shropshire Council meeting, calling on the authority to work towards a solution as quickly as possible.
West Midlands Ambulance Service has been contacted for an update.
To listen to the meeting online, a link will be available at shrewsburytowncouncil.gov.uk/town-council/council-meetings/
