Biker flown to hospital after ambulance collision

A MOTORCYCLIST was airlifted to hospital after his bike collided with an ambulance answering a 999 call.

The crash blocked the A494 between Bala and Corwen in both directions for several hours.

Emergency services were called to the accident, near Glan yr Afon, shortly after 4.30pm on Sunday. Motorists were urged to avoid the area, adding extra traffic to the B4401 through Llandrillo, Denbighshire and other surrounding roads.

The Welsh Ambulance Service (WAS) called up a Wales Air Ambulance and enlisted help from another from across the border. Airlifted to a major trauma unit in Liverpool, the biker’s current condition is unknown.

As the WAS ambulance was en route to a 999 call, no patients were on board the vehicle at the time. None of its crew were hurt.

Jonathan Sweet, head of service at the WAS, said his thoughts were with the motorcyclist. He said: “At approximately 4.38pm, one of our emergency ambulances was involved in a collision on the A494 near Glan-yr-Afon while en route to a 999 call.

“We sent a rapid response vehicle and a second emergency ambulance to the scene. We were supported by a duty operations manager from the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service, and an air ambulance from the North West Ambulance Service.

“Our crew was unharmed and no patients were on board the vehicle at the time of the collision. The motorcyclist was airlifted to Aintree Hospital in Liverpool and our thoughts are with the patient.”

Once the biker had been taken to hospital, the road remained closed well into the night as investigations continued. One local resident described the road as “extremely dangerous” and has lobbied politicians for improvements.

Tim Smith, a retired refrigeration engineer, said the A494 between the A5 and Bala has been the scene of multiple accidents over the years.

“Just on one little stretch of the road, there are two or three serious crashes each year,” he said.

“I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had to help with vehicles that have left the road and end up in my neighbour’s field. It is an extremely dangerous road and something needs to be done about it.”