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Wales Air Ambulance unveils the newest additions to its fleet

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THE WALES Air Ambulance Charity has today unveiled its new aircraft, which has been named by the people of Wales, and its new Rapid Response Vehicles.

The lifesaving service, funded through charitable donations, funds a fleet of rapid response vehicles and aircraft. They are equipped with some of the most advanced medical equipment in the world which enables the medical crew to deliver emergency department treatments at the scene of an emergency.

In 2022, the Charity underwent a rebrand and today the public gets a glimpse of a new aircraft which carries the new design. During the summer, Charity supporters were given the opportunity to name the helicopter. They took part in an online vote to choose their preferred aircraft registration from a list of five options. The clear winner was G-LOYW, which means bright or shining in Welsh.

Earlier this year, Wales Air Ambulance announced that Gama Aviation Plc had successfully bid for a seven-year aviation contract, which covers the operation and maintenance of a primary fleet of four Airbus H145 helicopters. Currently, the service has three H145 helicopters and one smaller H135 helicopter. As part of the new contract, the H135 aircraft will be upgraded to a H145, giving the Charity a consistent fleet of advanced helicopters to deliver Wales’ vital air ambulance service.

The Charity is also updating its fleet of rapid response vehicles, with the recent introduction of two Volvo CX90s. This allowed for the new branding to be introduced onto these vehicles alongside the aircraft.

The whole design process was delivered in-house by the Charity’s Communication Team, co-managed by Lauren Berry, Creative Digital Designer and Laura Slate, Communications and Engagement Manager.

Laura said: “Working on the livery for an aircraft and rapid response vehicle was something none of us had ever done before. It was a challenge for the Charity’s Communications Team but one we took great pride in. To have been able to complete the project in-house is a huge achievement for us, and we’re incredibly grateful to have been given this opportunity.”

Lauren added: “There were a lot of things to consider during the design phase, from identifying the best materials to use and understanding the legislation in place for both vehicles. Both vehicles presented challenges, but with the support of the Charity’s partners, we have been able to create something that we are proud of.”

The team collaborated with Charity partners, Gama Aviation and The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) throughout the process to ensure compliance with the safety guidelines.
Both the aircraft and rapid response vehicles maintain their strong Welsh identity, with a bold red colour and distinctive green dragon’s tail that matches the Charity’s new logo. The design also includes contour lines, which are green on the aircraft and yellow (high-vis material) on the RRVs. They are representative of the diverse geographical landscape of Wales, much like those on an Ordnance Survey map, and are symbolic of the different areas and communities that the Charity serves.

While the design was added to the aircraft by Gama Aviation, the new rapid response vehicles underwent a complete transformation to adapt them from standard road cars to emergency service vehicles. This was undertaken by a Welsh company, Polaris.

Dr Sue Barnes, Wales Air Ambulance Chief Executive, said: “Whenever we survey our supporters, the Charity’s strong Welsh identity is always highlighted as a source of pride. It’s important that the passion for our nation is visible through the vehicles that we use, both in terms of their design and the Welsh language registrations for our helicopters.

“Both the helicopters and cars are funded by the people of Wales, so it is incredibly important to us that they reflect the country and communities that we serve.”

Mark Smith, Managing Director Special Mission for Gama Aviation, said: “It has been great to work with the Charity to implement the evolution of their brand onto the helicopter and road vehicle fleet, allowing us to bring both design teams together to collaborate on how we can realise a 2D design on a 3D shape.

“For me, the change is also symbolic. The delivery of the helicopter in the new livery represents the commencement of an exciting new partnership between us, EMRTS and the Charity. Operations will commence in earnest shortly and we are looking forward to playing our part in the delivery of pre-hospital support to the people and communities of Wales.”

Mark Winter, EMRTS Operations Director, said: “Our response cars play a vital part in taking critical care to our patients, the new livery for the response vehicles has been worked through with our Charity colleagues following feedback from our communities.

“We are very pleased with the design and the collaborative spirit shown by all those involved.”

The air ambulance service in Wales is delivered via a unique Third Sector and Public Sector partnership. The Wales Air Ambulance Charity relies on public donations to raise the £11.2 million required every year to keep the helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road. The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) supplies highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the Charity’s vehicles. 

News

Spot checks uncover taxi issues in Milford Haven and Neyland

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Six suspensions, untaxed vehicle and missing badges found

SPOT checks on taxis and private hire vehicles in Milford Haven, Neyland and on the A477 near Sageston uncovered a raft of issues, prompting a warning to operators to tighten up on safety and paperwork.

The operation took place on Thursday (Apr 3) and was carried out by Dyfed-Powys Police in partnership with the DVLA and Pembrokeshire County Council’s licensing and school transport teams.

A total of 24 vehicles were checked. Of those, six were handed suspension notices, four were issued with delayed prohibition notices, and three drivers were found to be operating without badges. One vehicle was untaxed, and fixed penalty notices were issued where necessary.

A spokesperson for Pembrokeshire County Council said: “Disappointingly, lots of issues were encountered.”

The council added that taxi and private hire operators should complete a full checklist at least once a week to ensure vehicles remain roadworthy and compliant with licensing rules.

The Herald understands that many readers have raised serious concerns about completely unlicensed taxi operators, particularly in the Haverfordwest area. These rogue operators are able to undercut legitimate taxis by avoiding the high insurance premiums required for legal operation, as well as dodging council licensing fees.

This, taxi owners say, is putting immense pressure on their businesses. With rising costs and strict regulations, many are struggling to stay afloat while unlicensed drivers operate freely.

One local operator told The Herald: “We want to run proper, safe businesses — but we’re being strangled. The council and police need to go after the unlicensed ones, not just the licensed drivers making small mistakes.”

Checks were carried out in Milford Haven, Neyland and on the A477 near Sageston.

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News

Yacht in trouble off Pembrokeshire coast in gale force winds

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FOUR CREW BROUGHT TO SAFETY AS LIFEBOAT RESPONDS IN ROUGH SEAS

A 48-FOOT yacht weighing 14 tonnes was rescued off the Pembrokeshire coast on Tuesday (Apr 1) after its propeller became fouled in near gale-force conditions.

The vessel, carrying four crew members, had dropped anchor off West Angle after becoming disabled in easterly winds exceeding 30 knots. With sailing impossible and worsening conditions, a mayday was issued.

Angle RNLI’s All Weather Lifeboat launched at 3:52pm and made best speed to the scene. On arrival, the yacht’s crew recovered the anchor and the lifeboat passed a tow line.

An initial plan to tow the stricken vessel to Milford Marina was abandoned after heavy seas at the marina entrance made the manoeuvre too dangerous. The decision was then made to head upriver to Neyland.

However, Neyland Marina advised that there were no available berths for a yacht of that size. The lifeboat crew were left with no option but to continue the tow to Rudders Boatyard, where a mooring was located.

Once off Rudders, the yacht was brought alongside and secured safely. The lifeboat returned to station and was refuelled and made ready for further service by 6:30pm.

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Community

Ground breaking event marks start of key Haverfordwest Public Transport project

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KIER and Pembrokeshire County Council held a traditional ground breaking event at Haverfordwest Public Transport Interchange (HPTI) last month – celebrating the official start of work on site.

Council members including the Leader Councillor Jon Harvey, Deputy Leader Councillor Paul Miller, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Councillor Rhys Sinnett and for Haverfordwest Castle ward Councillor Thomas Tudor, joined Kier for the event with the ceremonial breaking of the ground marking a key milestone in the project’s progress.

The scheme includes the construction of a modern bus station and multi-storey car park to Haverfordwest’s town centre, providing a new interchange for buses and coaches, with upgraded passenger facilities.

Designed by architects BDP and built by Kier, the completed scheme will include more than 300 parking spaces, seven bus bays, public toilets and accessible changing facilities for people with disabilities.

The project also has a number of sustainable features including electric vehicle charging facilities and an array of solar panels on the roof which will supply  the vast majority of the building’s energy usage and help Pembrokeshire County Council meet their commitment to be net zero carbon by 2030.   

Ian Rees, regional director at Kier Construction Western & Wales, said: “We have been on site for a number of months now undertaking essential enabling works, this ground breaking ceremony is an important milestone as we progress into the construction phase of this vitally important transport hub. 

“This transport interchange for Pembrokeshire County Council will really begin to take shape over the coming weeks and months and will ultimately deliver a much-needed, modern transport hub for the local community, improving connectivity and accessibility for residents and visitors alike.”

Cllr Paul Miller, Deputy Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “It’s great to see work starting on this new transport interchange, which is an important part of the wider Haverfordwest Masterplan. It’s designed to make it easy and convenient to visit Haverfordwest town centre which is a key part of our efforts to regenerate the town.

“I think we can all agree the previous multi-story car park had reached the end of its useful life.

 “Once we’ve completed this project, the town centre will be easily accessible both by bus and of course by car with the car park element of the project benefiting from wider spaces, EV Charging, single tap exit and payment and of course a much nicer, lighter and safer environment for users.”

Architects, landscape architects and civil and structural engineers from multidisciplinary design practice BDP designed the transport interchange.

Matthew Mayes, architect director at BDP, said: “This significant regeneration scheme will be transformational for local people, offering improved access to bus, taxi and cycling facilities with excellent connectivity to the riverside, shopping centre and railway centre.

“Our designs include striking aluminium fins that wrap around the building with stone cladding at ground level to reflect the town’s historic features and a new public square with plenty of greenery and seating for people to relax.”

Built on the site of a demolished multi-storey car park and bus station, HPTI will form part of the South West Wales Metro project, which aims to better integrate sustainable modes of transport and complements the wider regeneration work in Haverfordwest.

The design of HPTI is being funded from the Welsh Government’s Local Transport Fund.

 Kier has significant experience in south-west Wales spanning over 60 years and has included the delivery of schools, hospitals and even the home of Welsh television, S4C, in Carmarthen.

This project was procured by Kier through the South West Wales Regional Contractors Framework (SWWRCF).

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