Your Local Guardian: Local Bus goes off the rails!

At approximately quarter to six on the seventh of February 2013, local residents of Hampton were taken by complete surprise as the 111 double decker bus had to swerve and crash in order to avoid an oncoming vehicle. As the bus left the level crossing, it was forced to veer violently over the pavement and ploughed through the railings into the garden of the local Linden Hall Community centre.

According to a neighbourhood resident that lives only a few doors away from the crash site, a car came shooting out of Ashley Road and ‘took the bus on’ resulting in the accident. An ambulance was called to the scene but at this time it is unknown if anyone was seriously injured. A local mum expressed how lucky it was that it had not occurred around school pick up time or there would have been carnage as Hampton Junior School is on the corner of Percy Road, mere yards away from the crash.

There was extensive damage to the bus; almost all of the metal frame work on the front corner of the bus had been ripped off. In addition the driver’s side of the windscreen was completely shattered and cracked suggesting; perhaps this was where the bus impacted the railings.

The immediate area was cordoned off by the police hours later and a specialist tow truck team were called to help with the removal of the bus from Linden Hall. Chaos was caused with local traffic, making it extremely difficult for local residents to get around. On top of this, disruption was caused with the bus timetable as the 111 buses had to park up as they were unable to continue along their usual route.

Overall, despite the circumstances and damage to Linden Hall, local people are thankful that the accident was mainly restricted to property damage only, and that a train had not been involved in the crash.