woman trapped under bus which mounted pavement 'avoiding car crash'

Pic:13 people were hurt when the bus veered off the pavement
Staff reporter(wp/es):

A woman was pinned under a double decker bus which mounted the pavement while trying to avoid a car crash, witnesses said today.

Thirteen other people who are understood to have been on board the bus were also hurt in the crash in Ladbroke Grove.

Emergency services rushed to the scene after the woman was hit by the double-decker near the junction with Canal Way just before noon on Thursday.

The woman was trapped under the vehicle. Dramatic pictures show the bus crashed on the pavement with dozens of police officers and paramedics working nearby.

A total of 14 people, including the driver of the bus, were injured in the collision. Police said the victims' injuries were not life threatening or changing.

The woman who was trapped has since been taken to hospital after being released by fire crews.

Personal trainer Karim Roundi, 25, who lives opposite the crash scene said he was on a lunch break when he witnessed the collision.

He told the Standard: “Someone stepped out onto a pedestrian crossing and a car slammed on its brakes. 

“The car behind went into the back of it and the bus swerved out of the way to avoid colliding into them.

“It lost control and went up onto the pavement and hit a block of flats.

“I didn’t realise it hit a woman at first"

“The top window was smashed so I think people on the top deck must have been hurt as well, you could see them getting off the bus.

“There was a lot of screaming when it happened. I went to Sainsbury’s and came back to see police had locked off the road.”

A police spokesman said: “Emergency services are dealing with a collision in Ladbroke Grove. 

“Police were called at 11:51hrs on Thursday, 17 November to Ladbroke Gove near the junction with Canal Way, W10.

“It was reported that a bus had been in collision with a pedestrian.

“London Ambulance Service and London fire Brigade attended.

“A female was reported trapped, she has been taken to a central London hospital; her condition awaits.

“Road closures are in place while emergency services deal.”

Worker Ali Nabi Nur said an air ambulance landed in Emslie Horniman Pleasance park off Bosworth Road.

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 11.51am today to reports of a road traffic collision at Ladbroke Grove.” 

“We sent multiple resources to the scene, including four ambulance crews, a single responder in a car, an incident response officer and our Hazardous Area Response Team. We also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance. The first of our medics arrived at the scene in under six minutes. 

“We are treating a number of patients and more information will follow.” 

Tony Akers, TfL’s Head of Bus Operations, said: “Just before midday today, a route 52 double deck bus, operated by Metroline, was involved in a collision with a pedestrian at the junction of Ladbroke Grove and Canal Way. 

“Emergency services attended the scene. There will be a full investigation into the incident.”

Barking and Dagenham tops list of London's 'least vibrant boroughs'

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Barking and Dagenham has been named London’s least “vibrant” area, according to a new study.

The east London borough was given the lowest score in the capital following a ‘vibrant economy’ index.

The list measures places across England with the best balance between economic growth, social equality, health and happiness.

The list, compiled by accountants Grant Thornton, analyses 52 factors including economic output, earnings, crime statistics and obesity levels.

Barking and Dagenham measured at 92.09 on the index with the next lowest Newham at 96.46.

Waltham Forest, Enfield, Lewisham, Redbridge, Hackney and Haringey all scored less than 100, according to the rankings.

Leafy Richmond upon Thames was named London’s most ‘vibrant’ area and was third in England overall behind Cambridge and Oxford.

It is not the first time Barking and Dagenham has been highlighted as one of the most unappealing parts of the capital.

Last month, the borough was named the least prosperous in Londonaccording to the UK Prosperity Index, which studied education, health and well-being alongside the local economy.

Horrifying moment coach careers into car which killed three people

Staff reporter(wp/es):

This is the horrific moment a coach crashes into the back of a car in a high speed crash in which three people died. 

The chilling footage, released by police, shows the double-decker coach craeer into the back of a car which was pulled over on the hard shoulder of the M1.

Allan Evans 59, from Islington, Tom Aldridge, 20, and Nathan Reeves, 23, both from Newport Pagnell, were killed when the coach carrying cheerleaders crashed into their car early on Valentines day 2015.

Coach driver Alan Peters, now 78, from Gravesend, was convicted after a court heard that he “consistently ignored” signs stating the hard shoulder was only to be used in emergencies.

A fourth man, Jake Dorling, suffered serious injuries in the collision including a fractured skull and a punctured lung. 

Jake, Tom, and Nathan were being given a lift back to Buckinghamshire by Allan following a night out in London when the “tragic” incident happened. 

They had pulled onto the hard shoulder after the car's oil light came on and were about to re-enter the motorway when Peters crashed into them.

The jury heard how Peters failed to see signs saying that the hard shoulder was not to be used except for in emergencies and travelled along it for almost three minutes before colliding with the car – which had its hazard warning lights activated. 

The Crown Prosecution Service also told the court that he had been driving along the hard shoulder for three minutes prior to the collision.

The car had been visible for almost a minute before the crash but he only applied brakes 0.4 seconds before impact.

Peters pleaded guilty to causing the deaths by careless driving, but his pleas were not accepted and, on Wednesday, he was found guilty of three counts of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

PC David Clarke, of the Bedfordshire Forensic Collisions Investigation Unit, said: “This was an utterly devastating incident which resulted in three innocent men having their lives cut short. 

“What makes this even more tragic is that the collision was completely avoidable. 

“Peters consistently ignored signs saying that the hard shoulder was for emergencies only and also had ample time in which to see the car and move to a different lane. 

“His lack of attentiveness on that fatal morning has forever changed the lives of four families and Peters will have to live with that for the rest of his life.”

A statement written on behalf the families said: “The loss of Tom, Nathan and Alan, due to the actions of Mr Peters, has dealt a devastating blow to our families, a blow from which we will never fully recover. 

“Nothing can ever make up for the heartache caused by events on that day, but we hope that this incident will act as a reminder to all other drivers to pay attention to the road at all time.”

Peters will be sentenced in December.