Inside the Blue-Light Mission to Support London’s Ambulances

DUNTON, UK – As Blue Light Conversion Manager in the Ford Pro Special Vehicles team, James Griffiths gets to work with ambulance fleet managers a lot and sees firsthand just how hard they work to deliver for the millions of people in need of ambulance services.

Frontline teams need reliable, up-to-date equipment so they can support patients, but they also need to ensure they’re getting best value for the taxpayer.

What’s more, by 2030 every new ambulance in the UK will need to be electric, so emergency services teams are already working out where and how to keep caring for patients and supporting staff while navigating the switch to electric vehicles.

That’s where James’ team in Ford Pro Special Vehicles comes in. They worked with London Ambulance Service to develop and deliver the right vehicles and provide the support they need to futureproof saving lives across the capital.

There’s a special kind of pride that comes from knowing their efforts will help that and support the dedicated medical teams who rely on Ford vehicles and systems around the clock to care for Londoners.

Earlier this year, London Ambulance Service ordered 180 Transit ambulances — including 45 electric E-Transit models — to serve the city for the next six to seven years. Alongside those, an order for 40 Ford Explorer electric response cars will mean crews can carve through London’s traffic to reach patients in the critical first few minutes.

Every one of these Transit ambulances is now routed through a central facility. Ford’s conversion partner WAS — the biggest emergency vehicle convertor in Europe — ships them directly into Ford Pro Special Vehicles’ site at Dagenham, on the edge of London, from where we they are signed over to the paramedics. LAS requested Ford’s help with this delivery process, and the new handover setup is even more efficient.

That means no scattered handovers or extra logistics for the already busy NHS fleet managers to get their heads around. From confirming the order to receiving fully-equipped ambulances ready for lights-and-siren shifts, Ford handles everything as promised in response to London Ambulance Service’s need for a simple, reliable vehicle pipeline.

As Rob Macintosh, Associate Director of Fleet at London Ambulance Service, noted: "The relationship doesn’t just stop after the vehicle is delivered. We have worked with Ford to get our technicians trained to Ford dealership standards to maintain the fleet, including being able to carry out in-house warranty items. Ford is also supporting us with our apprenticeship program— a true end-to-end relationship for what is probably the largest EV emergency ambulance fleet in Europe or possibly in the world!”

The first batch of ambulances is now in service, with more set to follow soon. By the end of the year, around 350 Transit ambulances will be criss-crossing London, outnumbering every other vehicle type in the capital's frontline ambulance fleet. That’s a gratifying vote of confidence from a fleet working in the most high-stakes scenarios Ford converted vehicles are likely to face on the job.