THE first of a new generation of ambulances has taken to the road.

The pride-of-the-fleet 999 vehicle is the first of 12 £100,000 ambulances destined for the region's roads over the coming months.

After two months of extensive testing, ambulance chiefs are sure there will be no repeat of the embarrassment of two years ago, when a £4m fleet had to be temporarily mothballed.

Heavy hydraulic lifts fitted to the backs of the vehicles caused them to "bottom out" when going over speed humps and each vehicle had to be modified before it could take to the road.

The first of the latest arrivals has gone into service at Bainbridge in the Yorkshire Dales, where a new £250,000 ambulance station was opened only weeks ago.

The remaining 11 will arrive at stations across the area served by the Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service (Tenyas) over the next few months.

Bainbridge-based emergency medical technician Ken Nicholas, of the Tenyas Vehicle Working Group, said: "This ambulance has the highest specification available. It's a beauty and we hope it will send out a clear message that nothing's too good for our patients and staff."