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A number of B31 Voices readers have expressed that they are unhappy with the use of blue lights and sirens by vehicles leaving the Hollymoor Hub in Northfield during the night.

West Midlands Ambulance Service, and other emergency vehicles, use blue lights and sirens when responding to 999 calls so as to warn other road users of their presence.

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Abulance Service said: “All emergency ambulance vehicles have a legal exemption to use blue lights and sirens at night but it is at an ambulance driver’s discretion whether sirens are used. This is particularly the case in quiet residential roads.

“Following discussions with local residents, ambulance staff have only been using lights when leaving the Hollymoor Hub, except when required to protect the safety of staff and other road users when they also use their sirens.”

The spokeswoman informed us that the Trust has not received any direct complaints about the Hollymoor Hub in the last six months.

If local residents have any further concerns, they should contact the WMAS Patient Experience Team on 01384 246370 or email pals@wmas.nhs.uk

Image by WMAS

12 COMMENTS

  1. They are there to provide a service to save life’s so blue lights and sirens are used to let people know they are on there way to save life’s so what’s the problem ( they are not late for there tea they are on the way to save someone’s life )

  2. What annoys me more than anything, we live right in the path of the ambulance hub. My way of thinking is that they are saving a life it could be a member of my family so for a few seconds and I mean seconds of inconvenience who are the ambulance service harming? They are already pushed to limits on such a spectacular job that they do. So shut up moaning and get a life!

  3. Driving at speed using blue lights…..well at least these guys have a reason for speeding and have undergone an advanced driving course. What about all the the other wanna be racing drivers that use Hollymoor Way, yes that includes my fellow residence.
    Its good to have these guys on our door step coming and going at all times of day and night, think of the neighbor hood watch element. Keep up the good work all of you.

  4. The local people that are complaining will be grateful one day when they need an ambulance and one arrives within seconds, rather than waiting vital minutes for one to arrive.

  5. Am I right in thinking people that live near to emergency service stations get a reduced council tax for that exact reason?!!! To compensate for the use of lights and sirens?! So why are they still complaining???

  6. EVERY MORNING AT 6.30 AM I SEE THESE AMBULANCE TRAVELLING IN CONVOY WITH BLUE LIGHTS ON OBVIOUSLY NOT ON A CALL.
    I HAVE ALSO SEEN THEM JUST TURNING THE LIGHT ON TO EXIT BUSY JUNCTIONS THEN TURNING THEM OFF AFTERWARDS !!!
    SURELY THIS IS A MISUSE AND CAUSES OTHER ROAD USERS TO SWERVE OR BRAKE WITHOUT ANY NEED !!!!

    • The blue lights are activated when we receive a 999 call, so regardless where you are, wether it be at a traffic light or anywhere else the blue lights will come on legally, and some times literally as soon as you are given the call you can be taken off the call for a nearer vehicle, so I can assure you none of this is done with any malice by any of the crews and as others have alluded to we are only doing our jobs. You clearly feel upset about something but taking it out on ambulance crews really isn’t the way forwards. You cannot comment on a role you clearly know nothing about. Facts are key in any debate and I feel you don’t have your facts.

  7. As a retired Paramedic we have been taught to turn off sirens at busy traffic light controlled junctions and to only turn them back on when the signal has gone green and traffic is flowing however we have been instructed to leave the lights on for road safety.
    All use of blues lights and sirens are strictly controlled and logged by our controllers to ensure no ambulance staff are using their blue light privilege incorrectly.
    Hope this helps.

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