PEOPLE could be under threat of not being able to get to hospital within the ‘golden hour’ if Hywel Dda University Health Board goes ahead with a new site.

Yesterday, June 23, the health board announced five locations they are considering to build a new hospital in west Wales.

Two of them are in St Clears – over an hour away from the city of St Davids.

Western Telegraph took several towns around the county and calculated their distance from both Withybush Hospital and the furthest proposed location for the new hospital – land located adjacent to the junction of the A40 and A477 in St Clears, between Tenby Road to the south, the village of Pwll Trap to the north and the A40 to the west.

Residents of Tenby, Narberth and Saundersfoot would be closer to the new site than they currently are to Withybush Hospital – the only hospital in the county with an A&E.

However travel time for the city of St Davids would more than double from 16 miles to get to Withybush, to 37 miles to get to St Clears – a journey of over an hour.

The golden hour is considered the period of time immediately after a traumatic injury where there is the highest likelihood that prompt medical intervention will prevent death.

Western Telegraph: Distances compiled in data from Google MapsDistances compiled in data from Google Maps

Western Telegraph: The red spots are the perspective sites for a new hospital. In blue, Withybush at HaverfordwestThe red spots are the perspective sites for a new hospital. In blue, Withybush at Haverfordwest

Other towns where the journey time would increase if the health board went ahead with their plans include Fishguard in the north of the county and Bosherston in the south of the county, while the village of Angle on the west coast would see journey times double to around the hour mark.

Western Telegraph: One of the sites proposed is located to the east of Whitland town centreOne of the sites proposed is located to the east of Whitland town centre

Five potential sites are to be reviewed under seven technical criteria including; transport and accessibility, infrastructure, access and active travel, sustainability, efficiency of design, site conditions, environmental and ecology, and acquisition and planning.

Western Telegraph: Site 1: Agricultural land and buildings forming part of Kiln Park Farm which is located to the north of Narberth train station and adjacent to the A478, approximately 1km to the north-east of Narberth town centreSite 1: Agricultural land and buildings forming part of Kiln Park Farm which is located to the north of Narberth train station and adjacent to the A478, approximately 1km to the north-east of Narberth town centre

READ MORE: Hywel Dda announce five possible locations for new hospital site

Western Telegraph: Site 2: Agricultural land located to the north-east of Whitland town centre and situated between the A40 to the north, Whitland Rugby Club to the east and Spring Gardens to the southSite 2: Agricultural land located to the north-east of Whitland town centre and situated between the A40 to the north, Whitland Rugby Club to the east and Spring Gardens to the south

The five potential sites are land and buildings forming part of Kiln Park Farm which is located to the north of Narberth train station, approximately 1km to the north-east of Narberth town centre.

Agricultural land located to the north-east of Whitland town centre east of Whitland Rugby Club and south of Spring Gardens.

Western Telegraph: Land and buildings forming part of Ty Newydd Farm which is located to the east of the Old Whitland Creamery site and Whitland town centreLand and buildings forming part of Ty Newydd Farm which is located to the east of the Old Whitland Creamery site and Whitland town centre

Land and buildings located to the east of the Old Whitland Creamery site and Whitland town centre.

Agricultural land and buildings located between Whitland and St Clears just outside Pwll-Trap.

Land located adjacent to the junction of the A40 and A477 in St Clears, between the A4066 (Tenby Road) to the south and the village of Pwll Trap to the north.

Western Telegraph: Agricultural land and buildings forming part of Penllyne Court located between Whitland and St Clears just outside Pwll-Trap. The site lies between the Swansea-Haverfordwest railway line to the north and the A40 to the southAgricultural land and buildings forming part of Penllyne Court located between Whitland and St Clears just outside Pwll-Trap. The site lies between the Swansea-Haverfordwest railway line to the north and the A40 to the south

Western Telegraph: Site 5: Land at old Bryncaerau fields, located adjacent to the junction of the A40 and A477 in St Clears, between the A4066 (Tenby Road) to the south, the village of Pwll Trap to the north and the A40 to the westSite 5: Land at old Bryncaerau fields, located adjacent to the junction of the A40 and A477 in St Clears, between the A4066 (Tenby Road) to the south, the village of Pwll Trap to the north and the A40 to the west

Lee Davies, executive director of strategic development and operational planning at Hywel Dda UHB, said the latest steps have brought building a new hospital a step closer.

But campaign group Save Withybush has made a recent ‘call to arms’, asking local people to get involved in what they believe is a fight for the future of Withybush Hospital.