THE Welsh Ambulance Service is set to add 90 new vehicles to its fleet following a cash injection of £8.2 million.

The boost, from the Welsh Government, will allow the service to purchase 18 Emergency Ambulances and 67 Non Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS). The cash will also purchase five specialist Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) vehicles.

The Welsh Ambulance Service currently has more than 700 vehicles in its fleet, which cover an area of more than 8,000 square miles across Wales.

Vaughan Gething, health secretary, said: “The £8.2 million investment will enable the Welsh Ambulance Service to continue upgrading its existing fleet, allowing the service to deliver the best care for people in Wales. This will ensure the ambulance service is able to deploy the most appropriate clinician in the most appropriate vehicle, ensuring people receive the quickest response possible.”

Richard Lee, director of operations for the Welsh Ambulance Service, added: “Whether we’re attending emergency calls, taking non-emergency patients to appointments or providing life-saving care at major incidents, it’s vital that we have a modern fleet capable of responding to everyone’s needs.”