Bus roof ripped off by low bridge

VIDEO: There was a narrow escape for a bus driver today when the roof of his double decker was torn off under a railway bridge in Hampshire. No passengers were on board. Andrew Pate reports.

The roof of a double decker bus was ripped off this morning after it was driven under a railway bridge at Portchester station in Hampshire.

There were no passengers on board, and no injuries have been reported. The recovery operation took some time resulting in disruption to road and rail travellers in the area. Andrew Pate sent this report from the scene. The interviewee is Paul Coates from Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service.

The bus operator First Bus has issued a statement about a crash in which a bus hit a low railway bridge this morning. The top of the bus was shorn off as it was driven under the bridge at Portchester railway station. Rail services were disrupted for some time after the incident. No-one was injured.

The statement from a First Hampshire and Dorset spokesperson is as follows:

"We can confirm that there has been an incident this morning whereby one of our vehicles has been in collision with Portchester Bridge.

"The exact circumstances of this morning’s collision are as yet unclear but they are being thoroughly investigated: the appropriate action will be taken as a result.

"Thankfully the vehicle was not in service at the time of the incident, so while the bus has been badly damaged there were no recorded injuries as a result of the collision."

In response to the fact that a similar incident happened in the same place last year the firm said:

"We are as concerned by this incident as we suspect other local people will be. The exact cause of it is being investigated and the appropriate action will be taken as a result. It is too early to speculate as to what the outcome of the investigation will be.

"In relation to the previous incident, the cause of that was determined to be human error and the appropriate action was taken as a result. As a company we take the safety of our staff, customers and other road users extremely seriously.

"As a company we take the safety of our staff, customers and other road users extremely seriously. Incidents such as this are rare and it is unusual for two similar incidents to happen in the same place. The cause of today’s collision is being thoroughly investigated."

Network Rail say an inspection of the line has taken place and the bridge has just been given the all clear. Services are now running again at the full line speed.

Normal service resumed on First Great Western between Southampton Central and Portsmouth Harbour following earlier road vehicle hitting a bridge at Portchester.

Normal service resumed on South West Trains between Southampton Central and Portsmouth Harbour, and between Southampton Central and Havant following earlier road vehicle hitting a bridge at Portchester.

Normal service resumed on Southern between Southampton Central and Portsmouth Harbour, and between Southampton Central and Havant following earlier road vehicle hitting a bridge at Portchester.

A bus has hit the railway bridge at Portchester station in Hampshire this morning. The top of the bus was shorn off as the bus was driven underneath the bridge. No injuries have been reported. Emergency crews are at the scene.