Bus hits bridge in Winchester (10/9/20)

[talltim]

School bus has hit a railway bridge in Winchester, with some severe injuries.

Winchester school bus crash leaves three children needing surgery

Pupils treated for ‘potentially life-changing injuries’ after double-decker hit bridge

www.theguardian.com

Three children have been taken to hospital with serious injuries while 13 others suffered minor injuries after the school bus they were travelling in crashed into a railway bridge.

The collision caused “significant damage” to the top of the double-decker bus in the crash in Wellhouse Lane, Winchester, Hampshire, at 8.10am on Thursday.

Although a rail bridge there are no mentions of any issues with rail services.

 

[akm]

At the time this google streetview image was taken, the height warning sign was missing when approaching from the west, as the news article appears to indicate the bus was. From the east there is one; it warns of a maximum height of 12 foot.

 

[scrapy]

At the time this google streetview image was taken, the height warning sign was missing when approaching from the west, as the news article appears to indicate the bus was. From the east there is one; it warns of a maximum height of 12 foot.

The video now on the BBC news site looking from behind the bus shows the height warning sign was present and clearly visible although I agree if this had taken place from the west when the Google Street view was taken network rail may of had some liability.

 

[GB]

The height is displayed on both sides of the bridge.

 

[swt_passenger]

At the time this google streetview image was taken, the height warning sign was missing when approaching from the west, as the news article appears to indicate the bus was. From the east there is one; it warns of a maximum height of 12 foot.

The bus was heading towards the west, however I’m not sure which part of the Guardian article is suggesting a direction?

 

[Waldgrun]

The question is why, was a double decker vehicle put on this route?

 

[Robertj21a]

The question is why, was a double decker vehicle put on this route?

Is it on the scheduled route, or on diversion ?

 

[Taunton]

The video now on the BBC news site looking from behind the bus shows the height warning sign was present and clearly visible

Disagree with "clearly visible". There is no warning sign, only a marking on the structure itself. There is a prior warning sign for 'Oncoming vehicles in middle of road' (itself obscured by trees in the Google view), but none for height.

The minimalist marker sign is small, on a curve, up high and out of the driver's normal field of view (particularly where concentrating on whether there is anything oncoming through the long narrow structure), and also significantly obscured by overgrown trees from either side - it's September, the time of maximum tree foliage.

"Clearly visible"? Zoom in here, you might just see a sign, but can you read the height? And are you concentrating more with not colliding with the oncoming vehicles : https://www.google.com/maps/@51.085...4!1sPga-NNNPXAHAysh8istFCw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

[rail-god]

Disagree with "clearly visible". There is no warning sign, only a marking on the structure itself. There is a prior warning sign for 'Oncoming vehicles in middle of road' (itself obscured by trees in the Google view), but none for height.

The minimalist marker sign is small, on a curve, up high and out of the driver's normal field of view (particularly where concentrating on whether there is anything oncoming through the long narrow structure), and also significantly obscured by overgrown trees from either side - it's September, the time of maximum tree foliage.

"Clearly visible"? Zoom in here, you might just see a sign, but can you read the height? And are you concentrating more with not colliding with the oncoming vehicles : https://www.google.com/maps/@51.085...4!1sPga-NNNPXAHAysh8istFCw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I agree the signs are no good.

BUT what bus driver needs a sign to tell them a double decker wont fit under that bridge !!

Really ??

 

[FOH]

I agree the signs are no good.

BUT what bus driver needs a sign to tell them a double decker wont fit under that bridge !!

Really ??

I was once on a bus that went into a housing estate on diversion. Driver tried to take us through the 7-0 restriction rather than the bus lane through the middle as he lived in the estate and only ever drove through there in his car (and obvs forgot he was driving a bus)

 

[najaB]

Disagree with "clearly visible". There is no warning sign, only a marking on the structure itself. There is a prior warning sign for 'Oncoming vehicles in middle of road' (itself obscured by trees in the Google view), but none for height.

The minimalist marker sign is small, on a curve, up high and out of the driver's normal field of view (particularly where concentrating on whether there is anything oncoming through the long narrow structure), and also significantly obscured by overgrown trees from either side - it's September, the time of maximum tree foliage.

The signage isn't as good as it could be, but a driver of a PSV should be of the mindset that their vehicle will not fit under a bridge until they are sure that it will, rather than the other way around.

 

[akm]

The bus was heading towards the west, however I’m not sure which part of the Guardian article is suggesting a direction?

The map, showing a red line and a dot. I may be misinterpreting that, of course.

 

[swt_passenger]

The map, showing a red line and a dot. I may be misinterpreting that, of course.

Oh right, I think that describes the road closure, I guess the paper might have misinterpreted the police closure announcement in that way. The destination, Henry Beaufort School, is near the left hand end of the red line, or basically under the text about children taken to hospital.

 

[philthetube]

I was once on a bus that went into a housing estate on diversion. Driver tried to take us through the 7-0 restriction rather than the bus lane through the middle as he lived in the estate and only ever drove through there in his car (and obvs forgot he was driving a bus)

I have to admit that \i once got pulled driving up a bus lane in my car, I forgot I was in a bus. However when doing anything unusual as a bus driver, different vehicle, (length as well as height), or diversion than you are / should be extra aware of things.

 

[swt_passenger]

The signage isn't as good as it could be, but a driver of a PSV should be of the mindset that their vehicle will not fit under a bridge until they are sure that it will, rather than the other way around.

The bridge can’t be reached from the east without passing an advance 12 foot Headroom sign, 600 yards back, (complete with yellow surround), at the junction of Bedfield Lane and Springvale Road.

...Assuming it’s still there of course.

 

[DorkingMain]

The signage isn't as good as it could be, but a driver of a PSV should be of the mindset that their vehicle will not fit under a bridge until they are sure that it will, rather than the other way around.

I worked in PSV a long time ago before I came to the railway. Unfortunately "should" and "are" often sit poles apart. There's no will to improve the industry in any way: generally it's gone in the opposite direction. Things like automatic bridge warnings won't stop situations where confused staff with poor training go on diversions they have no clue about.

 

[43055]

The question is why, was a double decker vehicle put on this route?

Is it on the scheduled route, or on diversion ?

The BBC article has a line saying that the students noticed the driver took a different route in the moments before the bridge strike.

 

[Ex24Driver]

I agree the signs are no good.

BUT what bus driver needs a sign to tell them a double decker wont fit under that bridge !!

Really ??

Having driven on that road recently and over 2 years of school contracting through Wellhouse Lane I can tell you that the signage on the center of the arch is clearly visible from both sides, the issue is why did the driver of the Double Decker not turn left onto Bedfield Lane as that is the route of that school bus run when it comes down from Springvale, the only run that uses Wellhoue Lane is the contract services for Sparshott College that are provided by Aldermaston Coaches.

Stagecoach's routes are set to run Bedfield Lane/Worthy Road to go to the junction of Worthy Road and Andover Road in Winchester for that reason, the restricted height 12 foot and no more of the arch and the lack of space within the arch means you cannot squeeze through it if an oncoming vehicle approaches and refuses to slow down.

The only thing I heard which shows you the ignorance of TV reporters was when someone called the bus 16 foot tall, that would be a 13`10" high vehicle as Stagecoach use them to get under the Stockbridge Road bridge and which really is a f****** pig to drive under as it is a brick arch and skewed so when you enter the white line markings for the center of the arch you cannot see oncoming traffic unlike Wellhouse Lane.

 

[LUYMun]

19161 - VLT 217

ADL Enviro400

bustimes.org

The journey the bus (NK07 HBD; 19161) took that morning, running about 8 minutes late. I can see the driver's decision to make a diversion, but was it informed with the command centre (if that's the right word?) first?

 

[Geordie driver]

Driver made a mistake, bunch of screaming school kids, newish driver and feeling under pressure. Possibly.

I have once nearly gone under a too low bridge, private hire, 2 am in the morning and a bus full of drunks.

 

[Westcountryman]

The signage looks pretty poor when approaching from the west as well. There is a clear sign on the offside when entering Wellhouse Lane from Andover Road North, but the sign on the left appears to be filthy and incorrectly angled. If I were turning into that road I don't know whether I would see the signs. Near the bridge is 'oncoming vehicles in the middle of the road', but no further height warning.

In the other direction the sign at the corner of Bedfield Lane is not in line of vision if you are turning left out of Bedfield Lane, particularly if you are concentrating on approaching traffic.No other warnings apart from approaching traffic.

Basically a bit of a shambles. I expect there to be some changes. I will have to look next time I am in the area.