Two weeks ago, Health Secretary Alan Johnson approved plans by Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust to downgrade services at Bridlington Hospital.

The move, which had been referred to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel, will see all emergency medical admissions and cardiac monitoring services transferred from Bridlington to Scarborough Hospital. It was bitterly opposed by campaigners, unions and local doctors, some of whom joined a protest march attended by thousands of people in the resort in July.

Last year, the Yorkshire Ambulance Service estimated it would cost £1m to provide extra cover to take heart patients to other units, but this figure has now been reduced following talks between regional health chiefs.

East Riding of Yorkshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) is providing £600,000 to fund additional vehicles and staff at the ambulance service.

Paul Mudd, ambulance service assistant director of accident and emergency operations for Hull and the East Riding, said the cover would be in place within weeks following talks to secure a financial solution.

He said: "These plans have now come to fruition at a cost of £600,000, which has been funded by the PCT.

"Extra staff and new vehicles have been put into place by YAS which will become operational within the next few weeks."

Claire Wood, interim chief executive of the trust, said the investment would improve patients' chances of survival.

She said: "We recognise that there have been concerns about increased travel distance, but with the extra investment in the ambulance service and the clinical skills of paramedics and emergency medical technicians, treatment will begin immediately before arriving at a hospital with a full range of specialist services and highly skilled clinicians, giving patients an increased chance of survival."

The Save Bridlington Hospital Campaign Action Group, however, said it is concerned for patients' welfare and last week helped launch a free legal advice service for patients who come into conflict with the Scarborough trust. Campaign chairman Mick Pilling said the money would be better spent if it was invested in Bridlington Hospital.

He said: "It costs half a million a year to run the cardiac monitoring unit, and really all they've done is commission two ambulances and 15 paramedics."

The IRP, which advises the Secretary of State on contested proposals for NHS change, said it believed the changes at Bridlington were "essential". The same conclusion was also reached by the national director for emergency access Prof George Alberti.

Increasing the number of clinical staff at Bridlington would dilute "the clinical 'critical mass'" at Scarborough, which has "extensive" expansion plans.

The panel also said Bridlington Hospital had a "bright" future for people needing non-emergency care.