A double-decker bus in Cheltenham collided with a railway bridge on Hyde Lane yesterday, causing the vehicle to become lodged under the structure and disrupting traffic for several hours. The incident occurred around 11:45 am on Thursday, March 19.
According to Pulhams, the coach company operating the bus, five passengers and the driver were on board at the time. Fortunately, all were seated on the lower deck, and no injuries were reported. The bus, marked for school transportation, collided after usual drop-off times.
Witnesses described the area near the crash as a “no-go zone” as emergency services worked to manage the scene. Photographs reveal the top deck of the bus was torn off upon impact, leaving debris scattered across the road beneath the railway bridge.
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Pulhams has launched an internal investigation to determine the cause of the accident. The company expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to passengers, motorists, and rail users, emphasizing that such incidents are extremely rare in their strong safety record.
National Rail issued warnings about disruptions and possible cancellations on the Cheltenham Spa to Ashchurch for Tewkesbury route due to the bridge strike. While all rail lines reopened by 1 pm, delays of up to 40 minutes continued until 3 pm.
Gloucestershire Police confirmed their attendance to assist with road closures at the accident site. “Nobody was believed to have been injured,” a police spokesperson said. Network Rail also conducted an inspection of the bridge structure to assess any damage.
This bridge, which has a height restriction of 3.9 meters, has been involved in similar incidents before. Notably, on March 17, 2014, another double-decker bus had its roof sliced off in a comparable crash. In 2021, a skip lorry also struck the bridge and became stuck, with its front wheels lifted off the ground.