POOR response times have long cast a shadow over the reputation of North Yorkshire Ambulance Service. It was back in February 1999 when the then Health Secretary Frank Dobson approved the service's merger with its counterparts in Cleveland and East Yorkshire. One of the key reasons for his decision was the promise that it would improve poor response times in rural areas.

Twenty months later, Health Which? reported that the Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service (TENYAS) was still falling far short of its target, reaching only 55 per cent of emergency calls in less than eight minutes, instead of 75 per cent.

At that time the ambulance service described the survey as dated, saying that a £1.2 million investment, coupled with a recruitment drive, was sorting out the matter.

Another eight months went by, and response times did improve - by a mere five per cent. TENYAS chief executive David Craig resigned.

It seemed then that the service was simply unable to reach the target. So today's news that it has not only met, but surpassed, the 75 per cent threshold is as welcome as it is unexpected.

New chief executive Trevor Molton deserves credit for succeeding where others failed. Thanks to his organisational overhaul and the hard work of staff, the target was met within his 100-day deadline.

Providing emergency cover for North Yorkshire is far from easy. Ambulance crews have to negotiate everything from York's traffic-choked streets to isolated, snow-bound moors roads.

These difficult conditions should never be an excuse for inadequate response times, however. The residents of North Yorkshire have a right to the same service as people elsewhere in Britain. Their lives depend on it.

Innovative ways to provide cover, from the air ambulance to York's cycling paramedic, have helped. But it is Mr Molton's determination, allied to a renewed effort from his staff, that has brought us the ambulance service we deserve.

Updated: 11:20 Monday, October 01, 2001