400 London taxis set to carry lifesaving bandages to help stem blood loss from serious injuries

Transport for London (TfL) has approved a new initiative that equips the capital’s black cabs with lifesaving bandages.

400 London taxis are set to carry the kit, with a sticker attached to make them identifiable for use by emergency services and passers-by.

According to the charity Rapaid, these bandages can be used to apply up to 18kg of pressure to a bleed injury, potentially saving lives in the crucial "first golden minutes until help arrives".

The founder of the charity, Alex Chivers, hopes the initiative will help bystanders and first responders to stem blood loss in the event of knife attacks or serious accidents.

The application process is simple: place a pressure applicator over the wound, allowing the bandage to be wrapped in various directions. This simple yet effective solution could make all the difference in life-threatening situations.

Mr Chivers, a former special forces soldier and Wiltshire Police firearms officer, said: "It made perfect sense for taxi-cabs to carry the same pressure-bar bandages designed for the battlefield.

"With a serious haemorrhage you can bleed to death in under five minutes - time literally does save lives."

Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA), said: “Black cabs are ideally placed to carry these bandages, with participating taxis able to be quickly flagged down in an emergency or drivers to pull over and help if they come across a serious incident or life-threatening situation."

McNamara added: "Cabbies often stop to assist people in distress and help keep Londoners safe when the worst happens. Now they will be better equipped to do so."