Just so that you know, we midwives do tell people to DRIVE to hospital. We do tell people not to call ambulances. The only time we would advocate women in labour being brought in an ambulance would be a homebirth transfer, if the woman is in Sainsbury's on her own and has a precipitate labour etc. Though I have heard of taxi firms who won't take labouring women in case they get ming on the seats... and not everyone knows someone with a car, especially not at short notice.