Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance has confirmed it is eyeing up a move from Thruxton to Southampton, which could cut response times to the Isle of Wight by up to 10 minutes. It was back in November that Island Echo reported the charity was considering a move further South, to position operations more centrally compared to the current location on the border with Wiltshire. Now, a community consultation is being launched to gather views on establishing a new headquarters for the charity beside Southampton Airport. It will bring the Thruxton-based helicopter and medical teams together with office-based staff currently based in Nursling. The charity says that it has identified a site at George Curl Way, adjacent to Southampton Airport. Along with bringing everyone together under a single roof, moving to a central location will dramatically reduce response times and minimise flying and travel time. It’s said that the response time to the Island will be cut by as much as 10 minutes – and every second counts in a life or death situation. A lot of missions end up at Southampton General Hospital, with the helicopter and its crew then having to travel back to Thruxton to restock, refuel and get ready to respond to the next emergency. A move to nearby Southampton Airport will cut the transit time, allowing for a quicker turnaround. 
Before submitting a planning application to Eastleigh Borough Council, the charity is seeking feedback from residents and other important local stakeholders. A virtual consultation is taking place on the project’s website, https://hiowaa.your-feedback.co.uk/, where comments can be submitted until Sunday 17th March 2024. Richard Corbett, Chief Executive Officer of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance charity, has said:
“Demand is rising for our vital lifesaving work, but presently, our helicopter is located in the northwest corner of Hampshire, further from the majority of our missions than our preferred site. “Moving would reduce response and flying times, and enable us to locate all our valued staff under one roof in purpose-built facilities that will allow us to continue our crucial work for years to come. “The new headquarters would also open the door to providing other services, such as aftercare. “We want to be good neighbours, as a result, we are keen to hear from residents and other important local stakeholders regarding our proposed new headquarters and would encourage people to take part in our community consultation”.
Since its first mission in 2007 the doctors, dispatchers, pilots and paramedics have responded to more than 18,000 missions, with no fewer than 1,842 throughout 2023. It now costs the charity £3,320, on average, every time it attends an emergency call out. The air ambulance now flies for 19 hours a day, every day. 
