Epsom News

Surrey Air Ambulance night flight plans "could take four years"

By Laura Manning

5:03pm Thursday 2nd September 2010

Surrey Air Ambulance service’s bid to operate at night could take four years to implement, despite the proposal being expected to get the go ahead next month.

Currently, the service’s one helicopter is only allowed to fly from its base at Dunsfold Park near Cranleigh between 7.30am and 7.30pm each day, but a planning application to allow 24-hour operations was submitted to Waverley Council in June.

Chris Wilmshurst, an associate from the service’s agent Vail Williams, said it was in active conversation with the council and was keen to come to a decision at the next planning committee meeting on Wednesday, October 6.

Air ambulance spokesman Jill Playle said despite next month’s decision, the change was unlikely to happen for another three to four years.

She said: “This is a long process and the planning application is the very first step to doing this.

“We are a dedicated air ambulance with a paramedic crew who are able to administer certain treatments to the patient at the scene. People still have serious incidents during the night.”

Despite the application being accompanied by a petition in support of the plan, signed by more than 300 predominantly local people, there have been a number of concerns about the increase of noise at night.

Mr Wilmshurst said that with 694 missions in 2009, the estimated number of flights per night was relatively low, with the predicted average between two to four in a 24-hour period.

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