AN urgent re-think needs to be made over the decision to axe Abergavenny's Rapid Response Vehicle, says Monmouth MP David Davies.

The MP has called for a change after receiving confirmation from the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust that the RRV, which was being trialled in the town, has primarily been removed due to financial reasons. Monmouthshire's two other vehicles based at Monmouth and Chepstow are to remain.

"I am told the vehicle was removed primarily due to the need to be 'financially prudent' and it is quite clear the Ambulance Service simply does not have the money to run it," said Mr Davies.

"Over the last few years, Monmouthshire had had the worst response times, not just in Wales but in the whole of the UK.  I therefore find it hard to believe why something which could have improved response times has been taken away.

"I understand the RRV was funded on an overtime basis and the staff who operated it were on rest days from their normal shift.

"As someone who has spent a day with an ambulance crew, I can say these people work very hard indeed. They did not even have time to stop for lunch or as cup of tea and to ask them to operate a service on their days off clearly isn't feasible.

"This vehicle should be properly funded in order to reduce the response times in Monmouthshire, which historically have been very poor. I shall be writing to the Chief Executive of the Ambulance Service and saying so."

Councillor Brian Hood said, "It's really very bad and I have written to Edwina Hart following an incident with someone on my ward who had to wait 90 minutes for an ambulance and ended up making their own way to Nevill Hall because it took so long. It is just absolutely awful."