The Welsh Conservatives have pledged to protect the Welshpool Air Ambulance base in their manifesto.

The manifesto commits them to “boosting the flexibility of the Welsh air ambulance service to maximise its coverage across Wales” and committed them to protecting the Welshpool and Caernarfon bases which are currently set to close in 2026.

It pledges to do so by "providing additional funding, including to directly fund the costs of airbases currently in operation – protecting Welshpool and Caernarfon airbases from closure".

Currently, the service is partly funded by the Welsh Government, in an agreement between a service within the Welsh NHS and the Air Ambulance Charity - and it has said it may consider financially supporting the Welshpool Air Ambulance base if there is a “good clinical case for it.”

The NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee voted to accept recommendations to close Welshpool and Caernarfon’s Air Ambulance bases, to be merged into a new site located within Northeast Wales. 

Opposition to the closures has been extremely strong across three separate engagement stages, with over 30,000 signatures gathered petitioning against the closures from Powys residents.  

“From the time when plans to close the air bases at Welshpool and Caernarfon were haphazardly leaked out in August 2022, the ensuing consultation and process has been incredibly poor,” said Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr candidate Craig Williams.

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“This is an issue of such importance to the people of Mid Wales. 

“Alongside Russell and local campaigners, we have been considering our next steps against these proposals - including any possibility of a formal legal challenge.

“This is why, today, alongside my Welsh Conservative colleagues in the Senedd,  we are committing that a future Welsh Conservative Government would protect the mid Wales bases that, that is so vital to our rural communities.

“We would directly fund the costs of airbases currently in operation, which would allow us to protect current bases. We would work with the relevant parties involved, we have an opportunity to turn this around before the planned closures in 2026.”

Montgomeryshire MS, Russell George also welcomed the commitment, having long opposed the closures in the Senedd.

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“The last two years have caused unnecessary anxiety and frustration for the people of Montgomeryshire, over the future of a service they care passionately about,” said Mr George.

“This decision will directly impact upon Mid Wales patients’ access to urgent medical treatment.

“I am glad that as a party, we are committed to stopping the closure of the Welshpool Air Ambulance base.

“Craig and I both thank the local Save Mid Wales Air ambulance campaign team who have worked tirelessly and continue to do so.”