London Ambulance Service (LAS) has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award thanks to its cycle team’s legwork in cutting carbon emissions and reducing waste.
The service’s Cycle Response Unit has introduced an emissions-free supply system which has seen LAS shortlisted for the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer Awards (CAHPO) 2025 in the Greener Award category.
Spearheaded by cycle paramedic Allan Woodhouse, the initiative—known as Project ZEUS (Zero Emissions Urban Supply)—has seen diesel vans replaced with pedal-powered logistics, using trailers on electric bikes to deliver supplies to LAS’s three hubs.
In addition to the sustainability benefits, Project ZEUS has also reduced medical consumable waste and streamlined the restocking process with fewer response bags and stock automatically replenished.
“The project has not only improved efficiency and our environmental impact but also enhanced the working experience for paramedics, who now spend more time caring for patients.
“Year on year we aim to improve our service for patients through innovations and sustainability and continue on our value for money and zero emissions mission.”
Tom Lynch, Head of Operational Innovation and Sustainable Response at LAS.
The winners of the CAHPO Awards will be announced later in 2025. In the meantime, London Ambulance Service continues to invest in greener vehicles. It was the first to introduce a fully electric ambulance and now operates the UK’s largest fleet of net zero emergency vehicles, including 42 fully electric response cars, as part of its mission to cut costs, improve air quality, and deliver sustainable healthcare.
Established 25 years ago, LAS’s Cycle Response Unit enables paramedics to quickly reach patients in congested and pedestrianised parts of central London, as well as responding to emergencies at Heathrow Airport. The cycle teams carry much of the same life-saving equipment as ambulance crews, including defibrillators and oxygen.
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