More than 4,700 emergency ambulance journeys were made to Huddersfield’s A&E unit from outlying parts of the town last year.
Some 4,745 blue light journey were made to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary from areas with HD7, HD8 and HD9 postcodes in 2015, according to figures from Yorkshire Ambulance Service.
The figures have prompted concerns that there could be thousands of dangerously long ambulance journeys if Huddersfield’s A&E department closes and patients are taken to emergency centres in Halifax, Barnsley and Oldham.
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Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman said the figures confirmed his ‘deepest suspicions’ about the Right Care Right Time Right Place plan which could close emergency services at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary (HRI).
The figures, obtained by Lindley councillors Gemma Wilson and Mark Hemingway via Freedom of Information, also reveal there were 21,275 emergency journeys to HRI last year.
The majority (18,417) of blue light journeys came from emergencies in Huddersfield postcode areas.
But a significant proportion (1,317) of emergency trips to HRI came from 999 calls in Halifax postcode regions.
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Mr Sheerman said: “This reveals what we have all said and suspected.
“It’s unbelievable we expect people in our part of the world to travel those distances on those roads.
“It confirms my deepest suspicions.”
Mr Sheerman added: “A lot of these people just look at a map and measure the distance.”
A CCGs spokesperson said: “The CCGs asked an independent body to help us to understand the impact of the proposed changes.
"The analysis considered all ambulance journeys over a 12-month period across all locations, and then modelled the impact should either Huddersfield or Calderdale be the location for the emergency centre.
"This work concluded that there were no significant impacts on the change of journey time.
"The CCGs are working closely with Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) and will make sure that any future model delivers safe, high quality care for all our patients.”
Number of emergency ambulance journeys to HRI from postcode area:
Huddersfield postcodes
Yorkshire Ambulance Service
Halifax postcodes
Yorkshire Ambulance Service
Other postcodes
Yorkshire Ambulance Service
