Wrecked bus could get back on the road
TRANSPORT bosses say the bus which had its roof trashed in a crash could return to the road.
A number 23 bus from Stockport to the Trafford Centre appeared to be wrecked by a collision on Wilbraham Road, in Chorlton, on Saturday morning.
The roof of the Stagecoach bus was ripped off and removed by firefighters following the incident, while shattered glass surrounded the vehicle on the road.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) says an investigation is underway.
But the bus which featured in the collision could eventually return to service as part of the Bee Network - despite the dramatic images of damage.
Peter Boulton, TfGM’s Head of Highways, said: “An investigation into this incident is currently being conducted by the bus operator and the local highway authority to understand the cause of collision.
“Every year buses travel 50.4million miles on Greater Manchester’s roads and incidents like these are rare as there is regular dialogue between bus operators and local highway authorities where concerns relating to the network are raised.
“We have no concerns about the vehicle involved and there is no reason that it would not be retained on the Bee Network when services in Manchester come under its operation next year.”
The Stagecoach bus smashed into a tree at around 7.45am on Saturday.
Police closed off Wilbraham Road following the collision, with the roof of the bus having become detached from the rest of the vehicle.
One person living close to the scene said: “The roof was hanging off the back and people were taking photographs.
“People were still on the upper deck and gradually coming down. They were obviously still in shock.
“People didn’t move for quite a while. There was no screaming or shouting... The peculiar noise was obviously the top being ripped off the bus. I cannot believe no one was injured.”
A fire crew from Stretford attended the scene.
No serious injuries were reported and no arrests were made, the Express understands.
A Stagecoach spokesperson added: “Safety is our absolute priority and we are working hand in hand with the emergency services to fully assist in their ongoing investigation.”
The scene was cleared at around 2.30pm on Saturday.