Three ambulance stations are set to receive new state-of-the-art ambulances as part of a fleet replacement programme.

Loughton, Ongar and Waltham Abbey are three of 43 stations that will be recieving the East of England Ambulance Service vehicles in a bid to ensure that by March 2015, staff will only be using ambulances which are only five years old or less.  

The first 53 Mercedes ambulances are set to be delivered around the district by November with the remaining 67 arriving early next year.

Head of Operations Paul Henry, who has led the fleet replacement programme, said: “I am delighted that the fleet modernisation programme continues at pace and that the next phase is now well underway.

"These new vehicles will augment the other 147 new ambulances brought into service earlier this year and make our ambulance fleet  one of the newest and best quality in the country.”