The future of emergency medical cover must be secured in areas affected by the closure of Wales Air Ambulance bases, says Dwyfor Meirionnydd MS Mabon ap Gwynfor.

Mr ap Gwynfor used his last contribution in the Senedd prior to May’s election to raise the issue.

Concerns over how emergency response capability will be maintained when the bases in Caernarfon and Welshpool close have been repeatedly raised.

A central issue is the question of whether Rapid Response Vehicles (RRVs) staffed by EMRTS critical‑care clinicians will be permanently stationed in communities losing air assets.

Mr ap Gwynfor has called for the vehicles to be stationed in Caernarfon and Welshpool following the decision to close the Wales Air Ambulance bases in both towns.

The closures, set to take effect this year, were approved by the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee despite strong opposition.

Mr ap Gwynfor MS said: “Rural communities already face longer travel times to hospitals and fewer nearby emergency facilities, so any change to existing air‑ambulance coverage inevitably causes concern.

“People in the communities I represent want reassurance that they will not be left with reduced access to critical‑care support, especially in areas where geography, distance, and limited road networks can add crucial minutes to response times.

“Rapid response vehicles are not a luxury - they are a lifeline for rural communities. When helicopters are taken away, the very least that people in north and mid Wales deserve is a guarantee that skilled crews can still reach them quickly in an emergency.

“Communities in Gwynedd, Ynys Môn and Powys deserve the same standard of emergency care as those in urban areas.

“Any uncertainty about future cover only heightens anxiety. People simply need to know that whatever changes are made, they won’t be placed at a disadvantage because of where they live.”