London Ambulance Service Cycle Response Unit - Winner

The main use of cycling in the LAS is to respond to 999 emergency calls every day. Delivering babies to cardiac arrests the dedicated teams respond only on bicycles. The LAS has several reasons for their use such as cost effectiveness, mobility, rapid response, special event cover, promotion of physical fitness, reducing emissions and being an environmentally friendly mode of transport. Expansions in 2008 rolled out to provide operational cover at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5, Shepard’s Bush, Hammersmith, Isle of Dogs, City & West End. We have an unquantifiable impact on the health of Londoners and visitors, many people are alive today that would have had limited chance of survival i.e. fast response to cardiac arrest means faster recovery to lead a full life. There has been many moving reunions especially at the airport. Literally thousands of people have benefited from the medical care provided by cycle responders. We have saved ten of thousands of pounds on fuel, vehicles, double crewed ambulance hours and hundreds of tonnes of carbon emissions have not been produced.

Kingston Safer Transport Team

On 05/03/2010 a Safer Transport Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) was informed of a crime taking place at that time. He was informed that an unknown suspect was in the process of stealing pedal cycles from the town centre in Kingston on Thames. The PCSO immediately informed his whole team, and his team sergeant via the PR radio. The PCSO was able to extract enough information from the informant to circulate a description of the suspect. The PCSO remained calm and crucially decided to remain with the informants. A/PS Clarke spoke with each of his PSCO colleagues and ensured that the main routes away from the area of the theft were covered by patrolling officers. By using the bikes, the officers were able to put an effective cordon in place very quickly.

After about a minute, A/PS Clarke observed a male who matched the description of the circulated suspect ride past him on a mountain bike. The bike looked brand new. A/PS Clarke detained the man and requested support. Using his excellent community relations, A/PS Clarke contacted the believed retailer of the bike and was able to establish that the bike was purchased only weeks earlier for a substantial amount of money. The male who was stopped was not able to account for the fact that he was not the owner. The male was arrested and taken to Kingston Police Station.

It was clearly the quick thinking officers of the transport team who formed a cordon, using their bikes to navigate the complex road system of Kingston quicker than a car ever could. The use of excellent community ties then assisted the investigation and resulted in a of victim crime being reunited with their property.