The chair of London Air Ambulance has said a second helipad will not have a significant impact on their capital wide operations from the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.

Dr Gareth Davies comments came after it was announced that a �4million helipad is to be built at St George’s hospital in Tooting.

Dr Davies said: “The helipad will be beneficial for surrounding county air ambulances, which may need to deliver seriously injured patients to a major trauma centre in London, but it will not have a significant impact on London’s Air Ambulance activity or operations.

“Our helicopter is primarily used to deliver a senior trauma doctor and paramedic to the patient’s side within minutes. At night we use rapid response vehicles to deliver this care as it is too dangerous to land in London.

“There are four major trauma centres in London and once our medical team have stabilised the patient they usually escort them in a land ambulance, provided by the London Ambulance Service.”