A Bradford ambulance driver charged with speeding while delivering an organ for a life-saving transplant is to present a petition of more than 18,000 signatures to Downing Street, union leaders have said.

Mike Ferguson, 56, of Birkenshaw, is expected to appear in court next week after he was allegedly clocked driving a marked vehicle with blue flashing lights at 104mph on a mercy dash to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

Mr Ferguson will meet Spen MP Mike Wood at the House of Commons at 1pm tomorrow and then go on to Downing Street to present the petition.

"I have just finished collecting the petitions in the district and couldn't get away!" said Mr Ferguson. "Originally we hoped the government would stop the action entirely but obviously that won't happen now. The petition is designed to make them see what a strong feeling there is behind what we are trying to do."

He said he had received between 300 and 400 letters of support and phone calls from people but that the last nine months had had an effect on his life.

"I wouldn't like anybody to got through this again," he said. "But the support has been fantastic. I have been very impressed with the amount of support I've had. It is wonderful that people have become so involved in something so remote to them. This has been a large disruption to my private life."

A spokesman for Mike Wood's office said Mr Wood was looking at ways he could support Mr Ferguson after the presentation of the petition, and keep the issue in the public arena.