Two ambulances were delayed as they tried to pass new anti-terrorism bollards in a busy York city centre street, it has been claimed.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service confirmed that the Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) bollards had led to some ambulances responding to emergency incidents to experience "very minor delays" in York.

An eyewitness told The Press that on the afternoon of Monday, December 11, at bollards at the junction of Nessgate, Spurriergate and High Ousegate, paramedics had to "get out and leave the ambulance" while trying to negotiate the bollards. 

They claimed that around 40 minutes later, another ambulance came to the same bollards at the same junction and the steward was talking to the paramedic "who was clearly getting frustrated".

The eyewitness told The Press that "eventually when they opened for the second ambulance, people were walking in between the sensors that allow the bollards to open, delaying them even more".

James Gilchrist, director of environment, transport and planning at City of York Council, said: "When dealing with emergency services the focus for our teams and systems will always be on how to get the help needed, where it needs to be, as quickly and efficiently as possible.

"In both of these instances the paramedics took the initiative and acted quickly to get to the person needing help, and subsequently we have liaised with the Yorkshire Ambulance Service who will be sharing the password again with crews.

"We value all feedback such as this to help improve our operation, and ask people in the footstreets to please keep well clear of any emergency vehicle."

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A spokesperson for Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust said: “We can confirm that some ambulances have experienced very minor delays in responding to patients in the centre of York and the trust has raised this with the relevant authorities.”

The council said it installed the HVM following advice from counter terrorism and North Yorkshire Police after it reviewed the access points to York's city centre.

It said the new measures were fixed and sliding bollards and others have already been installed in Lendal, High Petergate, St Andrewgate, Goodramgate, Colliegate and Minster Gates.

The council said it had introduced the extra security measures to help protect residents, visitors and businesses, as part of its commitment to keeping the city safe.

Emergency Service vehicles are among those still allowed access to the city centre.