Wales Air Ambulance: Welshpool, Caernarfon bases may shut

In March 2023 the charity announced both sites would remain operational until at least 2026

Two Wales Air Ambulance bases could be set to shut, according to a review into the service.

It shortlists the closure of sites in Welshpool in Powys, and Caernarfon in Gwynedd, with the emergency helicopters relocated to north-east Wales.

In March 2023 the charity announced both sites would remain operational until at least 2026.

That followed a £65m contract signing with Gama Aviation to operate and maintain its Airbus H145 helicopters.

However, before that agreement the plan had been to consolidate the Powys and Gwynedd bases, allowing the service to respond to more than 500 extra emergencies a year.

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The latest news is likely to anger long-term campaigners in mid Wales who say they fear rural areas will lose out if the Welshpool and Caernarfon bases were to close.

They would prefer keeping both open and adding an emergency response vehicle to a location in Denbighshire.

In 2022 an online petition to save the Caernarfon site reached almost 5,000 signatures.

When plans to close the Welshpool base were initially revealed they also met criticism and concern, with one previous air ambulance patient labelling the move "completely bonkers".

The Emergency Ambulance Services Committee (EASC) has been carrying out the review into air ambulance provision in order to "improve and adapt the service to meet as much demand in Wales as possible".

Details will be discussed at a meeting of the EASC next week before a final round of public engagement takes place in February.