CONCERNS have been raised over the number of ambulances failing to respond to emergencies within the national target in West Craven.

According to West Craven County Coun Keith Bailey, bosses from North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) told members of Barnoldswick Town Council that only 60 per cent of ambulances arrive at jobs in the area within eight minutes.

After the town council meeting, where the information was divulged, County Coun Bailey said he contacted NWAS chief executive Darren Hurrell and requested to know the amount by which the ambulances are missing the target as well as the figures for the last six months.

But he said he was told that the request was now being dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act.

The decision to deal with the request in such a way has left County Coun Bailey ‘worried’ about the results.

However, an NWAS spokesman said it was ‘standard’ practice.

Ian Walmsley and Mark Lewis, who work for NWAS, attended the Barnoldswick Town Council meeting and provided the local authority with an update on the work being undertaken by NWAS, particularly in West Craven.

A number of councillors raised concerns over response times in Barnoldswick and Earby.

County Coun Bailey said: “The fact that they are now dealing with this under the Freedom of Information Act gets me worried as to what the figures will actually be. I now have to wait up to 20 working days for my answer. Doesn't anyone give straight answers to straight questions?”

A spokesman for NWAS said it was not unusual to process such a request under the Freedom of Information Act.

He said it was ‘standard’ practice and designed to benefit the person who requests the information as well as the organisation.

Casualties picked up in West Craven are offered the choice of being taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital, or Airedale Hospital, if they are conscious.

However, those who can’t communicate are usually transported to Blackburn, despite it being around seven miles further.