TNAG-1363-FCO40-1809-Hong-Kong-Hansard-reports-and-minutes-of-the-meetings-of-the-1985 — Page 256

c)

The trial period of the motorcycle ambulance

support scheme which began in December 1982 came to

an end in January 1985 when the two motorcycles in

use reached the end of their serviceable life. For

a number of reasons, but basically because the motor-

cycles can get to the scene of an accident minutes

ahead of ambulances often in circumstances where

seconds may count in saving a person's life, we

believe the scheme to have been highly successful.

But partly because of the current financial climate

and partly because of the policy of zero growth in

the Civil Service, funds could not be made available

for the capital and recurrent costs of continuing or

expanding the scheme for the time being. Our

intention is to revive the issue as soon as the

financial situation improves.

Meanwhile we are making

use of the time available to have another look at the

motorcycle ambulance support scheme in the context of

a general review we are undertaking of the ambulance

service as a whole.