Jonathan Alexander is taking part in a four-month pilot scheme by Yorkshire Ambulance Service to test the effectiveness of getting to casualties on two wheels.

He and colleague Tim Atkin are following in the tyre tracks of the police, who have found that it can be a quicker and easier method of getting around the city centre.

They carry much of the usual paramedic equipment on their specially-adapted cycles, including an oxygen tank and a defibrillator.

Their main aim is to assess and treat the patient before an ambulance arrives – or to radio the ambulance to say it is not needed, saving valuable resources and freeing up the vehicle for other calls. Some patients are referred to the Royal Hallamshire's minor injuries unit.

In the first couple of weeks Jonathan and Tim have been dealing mainly with falls and injuries to joints.

"But we deal with all sorts, from a cut finger to cardiac arrest," said Jonathan, a keen cyclist outside the job, who used to race regularly.

The duo liaise closely with police and the civic ambassadors as well as the ambulance control centre and have found overwhelming public support as they zip along pedestrian zones and one way streets and through busy traffic within the inner ring road.

On top of the time advantage is the environmental one – saving on diesel.

Jonathan, who has clocked up 230 miles over two weeks, is optimistic that the ambulance service will make the project permanent. "Every city that has set one up has found it very successful."

The experiment is designed to clarify issues such as the optimum times for operating the cycle response unit and running it for the next few weeks has its benefits. "If you can do it over the winter, you can do it all year round," said Jonathan.

The paramedics are based at the Middlewood ambulance station but use the Royal Hallamshire and Children's Hospital for storage and breaks during their shifts.

If the scheme does take off they will be looking for a location closer to the city centre.



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