Plymouth paramedics use bicycles

Equipment on the bikes includes a defibrillator

Paramedics in Plymouth are using bicycles to beat the traffic and improve response times.

The mountain bikes, which are equipped with pannier boxes to carry equipment, are being used during peak travel periods, weekends and bank holidays.

Equipment on the bikes includes an airway kit, oxygen, pain medication and a defibrillator.

The South Western Ambulance Service said it gave staff an opportunity to work in a diverse way.

Paul Cleeland-Smith of the service said: "The cycle response unit obviously reduces our carbon footprint.

"It also gives us a chance to access places ambulance vehicles cannot traditionally get to, such as some pedestrian precincts, as well as cutting through alternative routes to avoid traffic congestion in a major city."