Bristol blue taxis equipped with emergency RAPAID trauma kits to respond to knife crime and serious accidents
- Perry Richardson
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
The iconic blue taxis operating across Bristol are now carrying military-grade emergency bandage kits designed to help members of the public respond to severe bleeding incidents before paramedics arrive.
The initiative, led by charity RAPAID, has seen 200 taxis equipped with the kits in partnership with the Bristol Blue Licensed Taxi Association and supported by Babcock International Group.
Participating taxis display green RAPAID window stickers so they can be identified by members of the public during emergencies. The kits are intended for use in incidents involving serious blood loss, including road traffic collisions, assaults and knife crime.
Alex Chivers, founder of RAPAID and a former police firearms officer, said: “It makes perfect sense to put these kits onto taxi cabs that are constantly moving in and out of our community day and night. A severe haemorrhage can be fatal within minutes, so the quicker treatment begins the better your chances of survival until help arrives”.
Military-grade bleed control packs donated to 200 Bristol taxis as charity expands UK-wide emergency response network
The kits contain four military bandages capable of applying 30lb of pressure to a wound, alongside surgical gloves and instruction cards designed to support use by members of the public with no medical training.
Mohammad Islam, chair of the Bristol Blue Licensed Taxi Association, said: “Taxi drivers are proud to be supporting this initiative. Bristol blue taxis are trusted in the city and can be found outside bars and clubs where many serious incidents can occur, it’s great that we are able to help by carrying these kits for our community.”
The rollout forms part of a wider national programme that has already placed trauma kits in around 6,000 taxis across the UK, including vehicles operating in London, Manchester, Liverpool, Cardiff and Edinburgh. According to RAPAID, the kits have already been used on nearly 40 occasions involving knife crime, serious vehicle collisions and assaults involving broken glass.
The Bristol launch event took place outside Bristol temple Meads railway station where volunteers distributed the kits and fitted window stickers to participating taxis.
Louise Atkinson, Chief Executive of Babcock Mission Systems, said the company had supported the programme in several UK locations. She said: “Babcock supports the RAPAID programme in locations across the UK, and as a major employer in Bristol and the Southwest, we’re pleased to stand alongside city partners on an initiative that truly matters. By working together, we can help make a meaningful difference to people’s lives and to the communities we’re proud to be part of.”
The expansion of the programme reflects the increasing use of taxi fleets as part of wider community safety and emergency response measures, particularly in busy nighttime economy areas where drivers are often among the first people to arrive at incidents.
