A NEW type of safer, more crash-resistant ambulance has been launched on the region's roads.

Two ambulances, based on the Mercedes Sprinter, are the first of 59 vehicles which will be delivered to the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) over three years.

Among the improvements are enhanced blue warning lights on the vehicles, which mean they should be easier to see at night.

Costing £100,000 each, the ambulances conform to European safety standards, which means that anyone riding in the back of the ambulances should be better protected in the event of a crash.

The improvements will be welcomed by ambulance crews who have campaigned in recent years for the phasing out of Chevrolet ambulances.

This followed a number of high-profile crashes involving the US-made vehicles, including an incident when a set of wheels came off one while it was being driven.

The German-built aluminium cabin on the new models can be transferred to a new chassis once the original one needs replacing, which should mean significant savings for the ambulance service.

Simon Featherstone, NEAS chief executive, said he wanted to thank Northumberland and Tyne and Wear Strategic Health Authority for the additional funding that has helped provide the vehicles.

Geoff Craik, NEAS fleet manager, said the cash has allowed the service to phase out Chevrolets within 18 months, rather than waiting until the original target of 2009.

He said that the remaining Chevrolets have been modified to reduce problems.

The new ambulances are equipped with rear-facing cameras for safer reversing, and advanced heart-start machines, which can be used to transmit cardiological information to hospitals before patients arrive.