Health bosses are to set up a ‘transport group’ to tackle concerns about A&E travel times.

Local NHS chiefs are to form the group with ambulance and council transport bosses together with bus and rail operators.

Transport, particularly by ambulance to A&E, topped the list of residents’ concerns in a public consultation on the proposal which could close Huddersfield’s emergency department.

The survey showed majority opposition to the plan which will centralise emergency care at Calderdale Royal Hospital, Halifax.

This has prompted concerns about ambulances taking dangerously long times to reach critically ill patients in outlying areas – and transport them to hospital via the congested Elland bypass.

Traffic queues up the Elland bypass on a quiet Sunday afternoon

Authors of the Right Care Right Time Right Place (RCRTRP) plan have admitted they do not know the ‘absolute’ times it would take a patient to reach hospital following an emergency call.

But Huddersfield and Calderdale health bosses behind the plan have agreed to form a group comprising council and regional transport chiefs as well as representatives from Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

Bus and rail operators, such as Arriva and First, as well as the public will be invited to contribute to the group.

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A CCGs report said: “The CCGs recognise that travel and transport is a serious consideration. In recognition of the findings of the Travel Analysis and the Equality Analysis, the CCGs have agreed to establish a travel group.

“As well as members of the public, we would be inviting representatives from organisations with responsibility for travel in the area (such as: Calderdale Council (Transportation), Kirklees Council (Transportation), West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Upper Calder Valley Sustainable Transport; transport providers in Calderdale and Greater Huddersfield (Arriva, First Bus, Northern Rail, Yorkshire Tiger, Metro) to form the travel group.”

The report said health chiefs would also consider respondents’ concerns in the official survey on RCRTRP.

She said: “Proposals for how support could be provided to mitigate any potential negative impacts will be collected through the responses to the consultation process and considered together with other information developed by the travel and transport group so that, should the proposals go forward they can be considered as part of the full business case.”