Neighbours say site of double-decker bus crash in Bridgwater was 'accident waiting to happen'
Residents describe 'dangerous' road conditions at Somerset crash site
Those living near where a double-decker bus overturned in Somerset have described road conditions as an "accident waiting to happen".
A major incident was declared after a double-decker bus taking 70 workers to Hinkley Point C overturned on the A39 near Bridgwater this morning (17 January).
No one died in the crash but more than 50 people were injured. Police say it is "too soon" to say if anyone sustained life-threatening or life-changing injuries.
Travel to and from Hinkley Point C has since been suspended and the road is expected to be closed for some time.
Aerial footage shows bus crash site in Bridgwater
Somerset Council says it gritted the road the night before the crash, but those living near to the accident site say surface water has caused problems there for years as it turns to ice.
Charis Ware, whose house overlooks the crash site, said she first heard shouting and screaming at around 6am.
"The road runs along our back garden so I looked out my top window and could see lots of vehicles and people running around," she said. "Then the emergency services started coming onto the scene.
"It was frightening, really frightening because it was so close."
She said she doesn't feel roads in the area of safe, adding: “The surface water has been a problem since we’ve lived here, so four years, especially on that certain bend in the road.
"When it ices like this it’s just dangerous."
Keith Sims, from Cannington, described it as an "accident waiting to happen".
He said he saw gritters on the road yesterday but added that surface water still made it dangerous.
Footage shows the overturned lorry on the A39
“Yesterday evening I came down the hill with my wife and car, there was water all across the road where the bus crashed and a salt lorry coming up the hill," he said.
"At the time, I thought to myself 'that’s not going to do much'.
“Water comes out of the field gateway and out onto the road, with a single salt lorry coming down at 4pm yesterday, it wouldn’t have done anything."
A Somerset County Council spokesman confirmed all main routes were gritted yesterday afternoon.
They added: “All main routes were gritted yesterday afternoon before temperatures dropped and there was a further gritting operation across the county the following morning.
“The recent wet weather and standing flood water on roads poses an additional hazard to drivers and significant challenges to our teams.
“It’s important to remember the majority of roads aren’t gritted and never have been. Ice can still form on gritted roads which is why we echo the advice of our Avon and Somerset Police colleagues to only travel when it is necessary and to proceed with extreme caution if you are using our roads.”