Hampshire Ambulance service adds Volvo V50 to rapid response fleet

With the safety of its rapid response staff a priority, Hampshire Ambulance Service has added six Volvo V50 2.0D Sportswagons to its fleet of emergency response vehicles.

Volvo Special Vehicles has designed the cars to its bespoke Emergency Service Specification with the six Portsmouth based Volvo V50s ready to carry on from where a previous fleet of Volvo V40s left off.

The six Volvo V50 Sportswagons are each expected to cover as many as 60,000 miles per year – amounting to a staggering 1,800,000 miles during the rapid response fleet’s five years of service.

The Volvo V50 Sportswagon is rapidly becoming established as one of the most accomplished blue light vehicles on the market. In this case, the Volvo was chosen over its rivals following a seven month trial period, with the vehicle winning much praise for its ability to transport ambulance staff and their equipment quickly and safely to incidents across Hampshire.

Garry Allen, Head of Fleet and Engineering for Hampshire Ambulance Service believes it is Volvo’s exemplary safety standards and useable performance that make the V50 Sportswagon an ideal choice. "From a legal perspective we need to ensure our vehicles are fit for purpose and that we protect ourselves from the new legislation relating to corporate responsibility. More importantly, for our own peace of mind we need to ensure that hard working staff, often tasked with risking their lives in the name of others, are supplied with the best possible equipment on the market. It is for this reason that once again we have turned to Volvo for our rapid response vehicles."

Garry added: "What makes the real difference is the support we receive from the Volvo dealer network, in particular our local dealer Cambridge Garage. The service we have received now and in the past has been exemplary and we look forward to continuing our relationship over the coming years."

Sarah Tottle, Special Vehicles Manager for Volvo Car UK commented: "We are delighted another Ambulance Service has recognised how suitable our cars are for rapid response use. The Volvo V50 Sportswagon is proving particularly popular as it offers a unique package with high specifications, driver comfort and affordable pricing to make it easier on the Fleet Manager’s budgets, plus its bespoke components and Volvo durability ensure it stands up to arduous use."