Bus driver says Putney Bridge jogger victim 'nearly died' and calls for runner to come forward

A bus driver who dramatically swerved to avoid hitting a woman pushed into the road by a jogger says he did not realise how narrow her escape was.

Oliver Salbris was driving along Putney Bridge in south-west London when he was left with just a split-second to react.

The Transport for London worker, whose vehicle came within inches of hitting the woman, admitted she would "probably be dead" if he hadn't been concentrating.

Police are still working to identify the jogger, believed to be a man in his thirties, four months on from the incident.

Now Mr Salbris is also calling on the individual to hand himself in.

Mr Salbris was driving his regular route along the bridge at around 7.40am on May 5 when the woman and jogger collided.

The bus driver told ITV News on Tuesday that he was only travelling at 12mph because of traffic, but if the speed had been quicker the victim might be dead.

"Even me, I didn't realise how close I was from her," he said.

"It was only when I saw the footage that I realised that I was that close."

He added: "Any faster and it might have been a fatal collision."

TfL bosses said that when Mr Salbris reported the "near-miss" he did not explain how important his actions had been.

It was only when they reviewed CCTV that they realised what a "great bit of driving it had been".

Mr Salbris, who continues to drive the same route, wants the jogger to explain his actions.

Asked if he believed the incident was deliberate, he said: "If he [the jogger] had just stopped, or looked back to see what had happened, I would say it wasn't deliberate.

"But because he carried on running, like nothing had happened, I would say that it was cruel - a lack of manners."