AN ambulance crew on an emergency call had its path blocked in a Cumbrian town centre controversially closed to traffic for social distancing.
Traders claim lives are being put at risk by a “pie in the sky” council move to shut the middle of Penrith to vehicles.
Cumbria County Council says restrictions which have seen the A6 route cordoned off at its northern and southern town ends are “essential to maintaining the latest public health guidance regarding COVID-19”. It has been done, it says, to maintain government social distancing guidance, manage road space and “limit the risk to the general public”.
But on Saturday morning, only hours after this came into force, paramedics rushing to help a man reportedly in a diabetic coma were halted by barriers in King Street. As people gathered yards away to protest and sign a petition now backed by thousands, the ambulance with blue lights flashing and sirens sounding had to make a swift U-turn because its path was blocked.
Video footage captured horrified onlookers chanting “let them through”, and describing the obstruction as “disgusting” and “ridiculous”.
“It was on a category one ‘life or death’ call,” said Dan Harding, a Penrith chip shop owner and town Business Improvement District Board director.
“It is disgusting. Somebody could have died. Everybody knows every second counts on these calls.”
Dan, 32, accepted there was a need for some form of coronavirus prevention measures. “But this has clearly been a pie in the sky idea from a county council officer working from his home using Google maps,” he said. “There is no need to block the town off. This has just not been thought out and there has been no consultation, I don’t care what anybody says.”
Yannis Papameletis, owner of the Just Greek takeaway, King Street, saw the morning incident, and watched as a second ambulance was unable to get through later that day. He was told paramedics hadn’t been notified about the closure.
“I didn’t like it at all,” said Yannis. “The priority is lives so the ambulance must be able to get through, at any cost.”
Penrith county councillor Helen Fearon has asked for “everyone’s co-operation and understanding as we are all adapting to new ways of living and working during this difficult time”.
“The new measures will be monitored and reviewed on a regular basis,” she said ahead of the closure. “I understand that the business community in Penrith may have some concerns regarding the new temporary measures, however I’d like to reassure them that we will continue to work closely with them and support them to overcome any challenges the new measures may create.”
A spokesperson for North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), said: “On Saturday (20 June), while responding to a patient at around 10am an ambulance crew came across a road closure in Penrith town centre that they were unable to pass. They turned around to divert to an alternative route.
“This was immediately fed back to our Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and all other crews in the area were made aware of the road closure.
“There was no significant delay caused and the ambulance arrived with the patient within a few minutes of the 999 call being made.”
