THE cost of keeping the capital's ambulances topped up with fuel is expected to increase by 37 per cent in a single year.

The London Ambulance Service (LAS) spent £4,205,000 on petrol and diesel for its fleet of 1,024 vehicles in the 12 months to April 1.

But the London-wide NHS trust estimates that its fuel costs for the current financial year will be more than £109,000-a-week - or £5,767,000.

If it manages to stick to its budget, the trust will end up spending, on average, nearly £16,000 every day.

The figures, revealed under the Freedom of Information Act, show the LAS has already spent £1.3million pounds at petrol stations in the first quarter alone.

Budget increases come despite the emergency services receiving discounted fuel bills at the pumps.

The LAS says that it spends £165 every time an ambulance is called to an emergency but expects that figure to increase as fuel prices continue to rise.

A spokesman for the trust added: "Estimated fuel price and usage increases are built into budgets each year based on price and usage trends.

"Commissioners are funding a limited general element to cover cost pressures, including an estimate for fuel price increases.

He added: "We will be continuing to monitor the fuel price situation closely throughout the year."

Ambulance stations in Bromley, Beckenham and Forest Hill run 63 marked vehicles while stations in Barnhurst, St Paul's Cray and Woolwich run 37 vehicles.

News Shopper has estimated that fuel bills for these vehicles could total around £563,000.

The majority of the trust's fleet in Bromley, Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham are ambulances but it also runs rapid response cars and patient transport service vehicles.

Its key roles include providing A&E services to 999 calls and a patient transport service, taking patients to and from hospital appointments.

LAS vehicles operate out of a total of 70 ambulance stations across 620 square miles.