Urgent medical help in congested and pedestrianised areas will now be arriving on two wheels, as a new cycle response unit has been launched in Cambridge.

The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust has launched a new cycle response unit, fitted with blue lights and carrying a full range of life-saving emergency equipment.

This equipment will match the kit found in paramedic response cars, and will include a defibrillator.

The paramedics on the bikes will be able to cut through congestion and easily reach pedestrianised areas. This will allow them to quickly assess patients and deliver emergency care when needed.

They will also have the equipment and ability to assess and treat several injuries on scene without the need for an ambulance.

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Jordan Ellis, one of the paramedics in the Cambridge cycle response unit, said: “Cambridge is an extremely busy city centre, and responding to 999 calls on a bicycle means we can navigate narrow roads and pedestrianised areas much easier than an ambulance.

“We can rapidly assess patients, decide whether they need urgent hospital transport, and begin treatment immediately. Because we can treat and discharge patients with a wide range of injuries and illnesses at the scene, we can free up ambulances for the most serious medical emergencies.”

This unit will operate seven days a week. Currently, there are two paramedics in the unit, but there are ambitions to expand this to four in the coming months.

St Andrew’s Street Baptist Church in the city centre has generously allowed the cycle paramedics to use the facilities there during their shift to restock the bicycle and take meal breaks.

The Rev. Simon Cragg, the Minister at St Andrew’s, said he was “thrilled to be able to support the ambulance service by providing a base for the cycle response unit.”

“We are a community church at the centre of a very busy city, and caring for the most vulnerable is an important aspect of our life as a church.”

In January, the Acute Ambulance and Medical Services from Milton Keynes also began trialling electric bikes as part of their response units.

They similarly planned to use the bikes in crowded environments such as running events, as navigating with medical-grade equipment is difficult, and motorised vehicles may face delays.

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In relation to the e-bikes, Kieren Gibson, director of AAMS, said: “We are redefining what responsive, clean and safe event medical support looks like. Big sporting events require rapid, flexible emergency response, and these bikes allow our team to reach patients faster, more safely, and more sustainably than ever before.”