Ambulance crews blocked by barriers to an industrial estate say minutes could mean the difference between life and death.

Blocked - Mike Nicholls stands by one of the locked gates which he says is putting lives on the estate at risk. Picture: MAXINE CLARKE 8EAGAR11

Mike Nicholls, who manages KSS Hire on Wickford's Shotgate industrial estate, claimed emergency crews recently struggled to reach the scene of a road smash because the gates were locked.

Two of the three entrances to the sprawling estate have restrictions on them for loading vehicles - but this could spell disaster in the event of an accident, according to Mr Nicholls.

He said: "How can emergency services attend the scene in a reasonable amount of time if they are restricted?

"This is a serious issue. You don't realise until something happens, but this could affect any one of us who works on the estate. The emergency access is not good enough, and the council needs to take some action."

Mr Nicholls's appeal follows an incident last Monday evening when a cyclist collided with a Land Rover.

The south-east Essex ambulance service is now working with Basildon Council to arrange for a key, according to area commander Nick Booth.

He said: "The council has been quite helpful and we are in negotiations with it to get a key so we can access the estate easily.

"The delay added slightly to our running time, but it was only a matter of minutes that we were delayed.

"It depends where we are at the time of the call and the direction we are coming from what entrance we take, but we do need a key for the barrier as a result of what happened this time. On this occasion it was not life threatening but it does have the potential to be. Minutes could affect saving someone's life."

A spokesman for Basildon Council said: "The lock fitted is a standard fire brigade lock and keys were supplied to all emergency services at least ten years ago.

"We are not aware that any of them has had difficulty with access and have assumed that they are aware of the procedures concerning this gate and have the correct key. There is also no record of the ambulance service contacting us about this case although we will be happy to discuss it if they do."

Published Friday, March 22, 2002