Joshua Edwards

“The ambulance despatched to the scene encountered roads closed for the Leeds 10K run that day. It then navigated a route around the course, thus encountering a delay in reaching the casualty. The Police Officers at the scene telephoned three times to ask where the ambulance was but this did not result in the situation being escalated in | the control room at Yorkshire Ambulance Service”

“Evidence taken at the Inquest indicated that ambulance crews were unclear as to whether they were entitled to cross 'road closure' signs in an emergency. Clarification of the Ambulance Service authority to do so in an emergency has been given, but has not yet been circulated to all ambulance crews. This needs to be done on the morning of such events. Ambulance crews should be reminded of this power by way of a refresher briefing. Similar considerations arise in relation to the Fire and Rescue”

“In the preparation for such public events, the organisers should be required to brief their Marshalls that at specified crossing points, the event may require to be halted momentarily to allow emergency response vehicles to cross. In short, that an emergency may take precedence. Participants in the event should also be forewarned of the possibility of this occurring.”

“Road closure signs at such designated crossing points should be replaced by signs indicating 'Access to emergency vehicles only' or equivalent wording.”