Bus roof torn off on impact under railway bridge incidents - merged topics

[whole diary]

[Mark A]

That's the aqueduct carrying the Bridgwater Canal, fairly adjacent to the swing span across the Manchester Ship Canal, the driver appears to have passed very prominent placemaking cues and also an overhead structure from which hang a set of jangly chains intended to warn people in overheight vehicles, in this case apparently to no effect.

Mark

[matth1j]

Telegraph report has video, with a warning that some may find it distressing:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/d8f0daef75f202c5
('gifted' link, non-subscribers should be able to view I believe)

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Bus driver arrested after 20 injured in bridge crash

The driver of a double-decker bus that crashed into a canal bridge injuring 20 people, including three who were seriously hurt, has been arrested.

A passenger was thrown from the top deck when the vehicle's roof was torn off as it struck the Bridgewater Canal Aqueduct on Barton Lane in Eccles, Salford on Monday, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.

The force said a 19-year-old woman, and two men, one aged in his 20s and another in his 40s, sustained serious injuries and remain in hospital in a stable condition.

The driver, a man in his 50s, was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by careless driving and has been bailed pending further enquiries.

Police said 17 other people were also treated at the scene for injuries that were "non-life threatening or life-changing".

Barton Lane has since been reopened, and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM^▸ (Transport for Greater Manchester. Devolved body responsible for public transport coordination in the Greater Manchester metropolitan area.)) said it has launched an "immediate and urgent" investigation into the circumstances of the crash. This includes why the 100 service bus was "not taking its usual route", a TFGM spokesman said.

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Police said there are height restriction warnings in place by the bridge, including hanging chains and signs.

Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester Vernon Everitt said: "We are working closely with the investigation team at Greater Manchester Police and the bus operator, Stagecoach. This is clearly a distressing situation for everyone involved and we'd like to thank emergency services for their swift response."

The road was closed into Monday evening with diversions in place as authorities worked to move the damaged bus.

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Labour MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) for Worsley and Eccles Michael Wheeler said the crash was "unacceptable".  "It's not the first time this has happened, so after understanding what's happened we need to do everything we can to make sure it doesn't happen again," he told BBC Radio Manchester.

A bus has previously had its roof ripped off after striking the same bridge in April 2023.

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Changes considered after bus bridge crash

Transport bosses are looking at changing routes and adding more warning signs after a double decker bus crashed into a bridge.

The vehicle's roof was torn off as it struck the Bridgewater Canal Aqueduct on Barton Lane in Eccles, Salford on Monday, with three people seriously injured and 17 others also hurt.

The Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester Vernon Everitt said passengers' safety was the Bee Network's "top priority" as he revealed Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham had asked him to produce an "urgent report" on the incident.

As well as a police investigation, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM^▸ (Transport for Greater Manchester. Devolved body responsible for public transport coordination in the Greater Manchester metropolitan area.)) has launched its own probe into the crash.

A 19-year-old woman, and two men, one aged in his 20s and another in his 40s, sustained serious injuries and remain in hospital in a stable condition, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.

The driver, a man in his 50s, was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by careless driving and has been bailed pending further inquiries.

Everitt said TfGM is fully supporting GMP's investigation and all available CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele-Vision) from the bus has now been recovered by the operator, Stagecoach, and passed to the force.

TfGM was working with Stagecoach, Salford City Council as the local highway authority and Peel, as the owner of the aqueduct, on its own probe into the collision, he said. This includes why the 100 service bus was "not taking its usual route", a TFGM spokesman said.

They have also agreed several short-term measures to be implemented as soon as possible including new and additional warning measures – including further signage at and near the bridge.

TfGM has also sought reassurances from bus operators, local authorities and others with responsibility for managing and maintaining low bridges about how they will mitigate measures to prevent further strikes.

Everitt said it was looking at potentially re-routing services away from the Barton Lane bridge. He said Burnham has asked him to look into the circumstances around the crash and make recommendations about wider implications for safety on the network. "I have heard very clearly the concern from the local community that there have been many other collisions at this location over many years," the transport commissioner said. He said he has also spoken to the head of a bus operator involved in a separate collision into a low bridge on Ten Acres Lane in Newton Heath on Tuesday.

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A Metroline Manchester training bus was being driven by a trainee driver when it struck a bridge, but no passengers were onboard, and nobody was injured.

Everitt said that incident would be thoroughly investigated, too, and form part of his report. He said it was also helping to support those impacted by the "deeply distressing event".  "Our commitment to safe operations is absolute. Core to this will be the further development of a Bee Network safety standard, as part of our long-term Vision Zero strategy and plan to eliminate death and serious injuries on the city region's roads."

[Chris from Nailsea]

That's the aqueduct carrying the Bridgwater Canal ...

With my genuine thanks to my colleague Mark A for his post on this topic, may I please enter a word of caution here?

Lest we offend (m)any of our readers down in Somerset (and I know at least two of them), may I record that the correct spelling in Somerset is 'Bridgwater' but the correct spelling in Manchester is 'Bridgewater'.

I thank you. CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum). 

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

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A rail operator has urged bus drivers to "carefully plan their routes" after a double decker got wedged under a railway bridge.

The bus got stuck under the bridge on Duke Street in Chelmsford on Wednesday, blocking a bus gate - a section of road only buses can use - from 17:30 BST until 18:45 BST.

Network Rail said trains started running again after the bus was freed, but urged drivers to be careful as similar incidents cost "millions of pounds" every year.

The bridge is on the Great Eastern Main Line between London and Norwich. Bus operator First Bus said it was investigating the incident.

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A Network Rail spokesperson said trains to and from Chelmsford were delayed. They added: "Our teams were quickly on site to inspect the bridge. Once the bus was safely removed and no structural damage was confirmed, normal train services resumed by 18:56.  Bridge strikes like this cost taxpayers millions of pounds each year and are entirely preventable. We urge drivers to always consider the height and size of their vehicles, including any loads they are carrying, and to carefully plan their routes to avoid incidents that put our infrastructure at risk."

In a statement, First Bus said it "assisted emergency crews and recovery teams following an incident involving one of our service 372 buses hitting the Duke Street railway bridge in Chelmsford as it was travelling towards Colchester".  "We have not been made aware of any injuries, and we will be undertaking a full investigation," it added.

A spokesperson for Essex Highways said: "Every road user has the responsibility of being aware of their surroundings and driving safely, and this bridge clearly displays a height limit of 12ft 6in (3.8m).  Drivers must be careful when passing under structures and make sure their vehicle's fit before making the attempt."

A spokesperson for Essex Police said no passengers were on the bus and there were no reported injuries. The force said the road under the bridge had been closed to pedestrians for a "short time".

[Ralph Ayres]

I'm slightly out of date here but know the area well of old.  Double-deckers used to fit under that bridge and used it regularly; it's between the bus and rail stations.  They always had to pull out to the middle of the arch, with road layout changes some years back encouraging and helping that even for single-deckers.  The 12'6" height restriction does seem over-pessimistic so I wonder if there had been some unofficial arrangement for taller buses to pass under the bridge with care.

[Clan Line]

Over inflated tyres ? 

[eightonedee]

Difficult to be sure, given the angle from which the front-view picture is taken, but did the driver just keep a little too far over to his right, so missing the highest part of the arch?

[Chris from Nailsea]

His / Her line manager will no doubt be having that discussion. 

[froome]

I have no local knowledge, but the bus appears to be in the middle of the carriageway, and as such, the driver would have assumed they were in the correct positioning for the arch. The pavement on the right appears to be much wider than that on the left, but the photo angle distorts the difference, so it may not be that great a difference, but presumably enough to lead to this outcome. In which case, I'm surprised that double deckers are allowed to go under the bridge.

[Chris from Nailsea]

... and that, M'Lud, concludes the case for the defence ...

 

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

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Several children have been hurt after the roof of a school double-decker bus was ripped off when it hit a low bridge.

Among the injured was an eight-year-old boy who was taken to hospital with a "non-serious" head injury following the crash on Spendmore Lane, Coppull, Lancashire, at about 12:30 GMT.

The bus was carrying some pupils from Wood Fold Primary School, in Standish, Wigan, the BBC understands. The school declined to comment.

Paramedics assessed the children at the scene and all but the eight-year-old boy were discharged from their care, North West Ambulance Service said. Emergency services remain at the scene and a road closure is in place.

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"A number of children suffered injuries, which are thankfully thought to be relatively minor at this time," Lancashire Police said.

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