Fleet upgrade sees 500 new ambulances on the road in 2026

Every region in England will benefit from new ambulances with a £75m investment to improve the current fleet in what the Department for Health says is the biggest upgrade of the ambulance fleet in recent years.

The provision of new double crew ambulances – which will replace old ambulances across England – will help ambulance services reduce response times and keep more vehicles on the road. They are equipped with modern safety technology, improving protection for patients and staff while supporting paramedics to deliver urgent care more effectively.

In the new year’s announcement, the Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting said: “Modernising our ambulance fleet means better care for patients and stronger emergency services – while backing British jobs and driving economic growth.”

This forms part of the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan where the government has committed a further £412 million over the next four years to continue renewing the ambulance fleet and modernising emergency services.

London Ambulance Service CEO and Chair of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives welcomed the announcement of ambulance fleet modernisation.

“The new ambulances include a range of design improvements that enhance patient care and staff safety. They are lighter, more fuel‑efficient and produce fewer emissions, while supporting paramedics to deliver urgent care more effectively. Their improved reliability also means fewer breakdowns and less time out of service, keeping more vehicles on the road and ready to respond to patients.”

In the West Midlands the additional investment means that 23 new ambulances will be added to the fleet which will grow to over 500 vehicles. The expansion forms part of a wider investment by West Midlands Ambulance Service that will see 142 vehicles added to the fleet by the end of March 2026. Of these, 87 have already been delivered and are supporting communities across the West Midlands. 

WMAS will also receive eight fully electric ambulances by the end of March. NHS England confirmed in February 2025 that 80 new electric ambulances would be deployed across England as part of its bid to decarbonise the fleets of the ten ambulance trusts.

To read similar articles, check out our Frontline channel.