London’s Ambulance Service has expanded its fleet of two-wheelers with the acquisition of twelve Honda ST1300 Pan European motorcycles.

In an attempt to reduce response times in the congested capital, twelve more paramedics will be handed the keys to the new vehicles, with a particular focus being placed on East London.

The new set of motorcycles will join the 50 currently in use by the London Ambulance Service, the largest of its kind in the world, and will continue the services’ long reliance on the Pan European model.

Motorcycle paramedics are used to reach emergency scenes far quicker than is possible with an ambulance, providing on-the-spot first aid to patients.

Shaun Rock of the London Ambulance Service said:”We looked at response times in congested areas of London twenty years ago and saw that motorcycles were the solution to getting a vehicle and paramedic on-scene as soon as possible. We needed to expand our two-wheeled operation so that we could ensure our response capability was compliant with new government response times.

“Our riding group evaluated a number of motorcycle models but, the Honda Pan European has met and exceeded our specifications over the past 18 years we feel it continues to do so. It is capable of carrying a large range of medical equipment and is perfect for our needs. It is capable of speed when required but also possesses the excellent low-speed manoeuvrability that we need in the congested areas of the capital. This is why we’ve chosen to further strengthen our existing fleet with twelve more Pan European motorcycles.”

Honda’s Public Sector Operations Co-ordinator, Bob Fellowes, added: “We are delighted to emerge as the favoured supplier to the London Ambulance Service with a version of the ST1300A8, which they believe meets their extremely high specifications. At Honda (UK) we are proud to be of service to an organisation which performs such a vital and reliable role to our capital’s community.”