Rotherhithe will be left without its own ambulance station after the London Ambulance Service announced that their base in Ann Moss Lane is to close this summer.
The building’s landlord, NHS Properties Services, has decided to sell the building, which means all ten staff members will be moved to a station in Deptford, two miles away from the current location.
Simon Hughes, MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, found the decision worrying.
He said: “I had understood very clearly that there would be a new permanent ambulance base in Rotherhithe. If that is not the case, it is very disappointing.
“The most important issue is how long it takes ambulances to reach those in need. I will urgently go back into talks with the London Ambulance Service to make sure that there is no increase in the time local people wait for an ambulance.”
A spokesperson for the LAS stated that response times would not be affected, despite the extra distance between the station and most Rotherhithe residents.
She said: “The cover of the area will be unaffected. In addition to Deptford Station there are a number of ‘standby points’ in the Rotherhithe area where vehicles can be deployed from and where crews can wait for the next call.” These ‘standby points’ are reserved ambulance parking areas, which means crews do not need to return to the station following a call-out and can remain in Rotherhithe.