Emergency services were called to TWO bus crashes in the space of two-and-a-half hours in Huddersfield.
In the first, a woman passenger had to be taken to hospital for a check-up after being showered with glass when an Arriva bus mounted the pavement and ran into railings in Northumberland Street in the town centre.
The second incident saw a First bus demolish a wall outside a taxi office in Westbourne Road, Marsh, damaging a gas pipe. The driver and a female passenger were both taken to hospital.
The first incident happened at about 12.08pm as the Arriva 220 Cleckheaton to Huddersfield bus was travelling up Northumberland Street towards St George’s Square.
Fire commander Robin Ferguson – who attended both incidents – said: “Eleven people were on the bus, including a 67-year-old woman who was sat next to the door. She was showered with glass and bits of railings. She’s been taken to hospital for a check up. We had to chop the doors off as they were inoperable. Nobody else needed medical attention, but some people may be suffering from whiplash.”
Police confirmed one passenger had been taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, adding: “Their injuries are not believed to be serious.” Police are investigating and are looking at video from the bus security cameras and local CCTV.
Jon Croxford, area managing director for Arriva Yorkshire, said: “We can confirm one passenger was injured and we are investing further to find out the cause of this incident.”
The second smash happened at about 2.30pm when a 370 First bus from the town centre to Salendine Nook crossed to the opposite side of the road and ploughed into a wall outside Marsh Cars. The driver and a female passenger were taken to hospital.
Sajid Bashir, operator at Marsh Cars, said he was in the front of the tax office when the crash happened. “I was working in the office when the bus crashed into the wall outside,” he said. “I felt the impact. It felt like an earthquake. One of the drivers was sitting in the office next to me and saw the wall coming towards him. He ran out of the office.”
Mr Bashir said the bus had damaged a gas pipe, although the business was continuing to operate.
Mohammed Fiaz, of Khalid’s Butchers next door to the taxi office, said he was alerted by a child’s scream. “I came outside and saw the bus had gone through her wall,” he said. “We came out and tried to help. The bus had swerved over the road.” He said the child was one of a number of people who had just left the shop and screamed in panic as the bus crashed.
A pedestrian told how she saw the bus veer across the road from its own carriageway, strike the side of a van and carry on into the wall. She said: ”I walked up and pulled the door open. I told people to get off the bus because you never know what might happen when you’ve run into a house. I helped people to get off.”
Eyewitness Adam Hall said: “The double decker looks as though it has just careered across the road and into the taxi building. There is a huge amount of damage. I saw one man walking from the bus bleeding from a head injury.”
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: “The bus driver was slightly injured. It’s thought to be only minor injuries. The road was closed for some time after the incident.”
Firefighters made the gas supply safe and helped with the casualties.
Paul Calcott, operations manager at First Huddersfield, said: “We have a team on the scene investigating and supporting staff and customers.”
