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Double-decker ploughs into shop after crash with van
Benedict Moore-Bridger5 Jan 2009
THIS is the dramatic scene when a double-deck bus crashed into a shop in west London today, injuring 10 people.
The number 23 veered off the road and ploughed into an estate agents and an antiques shop in Notting Hill after colliding with a van.
Eight passengers, as well as the drivers of the bus and van, were treated for shock and minor injuries at the scene. Eight of the injured were taken to nearby Charing Cross and St Mary's hospitals.
Paramedics and police went to Lacy Gallery in Westbourne Grove following the accident at 11am.
The front of the antiques shop was wrecked in the accident. The bus also damaged estate agents Bective Leslie Marsh.
A spokesman for the Met said road closures were in place while they investigated the crash. He said: "We were called at 10.59am to reports of a bus in collision with a van and then a shop.
"Ten people had minor injuries, including both the male driver of the bus and the van. The remaining eight injured were passengers on the bus. The cause of the collision is being investigated. No one has been arrested."
The driver of the van worked for Homeserve, a company providing emergency home insurance cover.
The scene of the crash is the heart of the Ledbury Road shopping area, which has a series of designer outlets and is popular with celebrities.
Reader views (13)
These nutters who drive buses nowadays are non courteous & demand the right to pull out on any one or any thing.
They drive in a most aggresive maner with no regard to anyone.
Have you seen taxi or cab or cyclist or LGV and so on.. givig way to the bus ? NO! well i'm on the bus and I want to get to work if they don't pull or block i'll be late !
- Passenger, London, 31/07/2009 17:00
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Teacher London resign!
- Steve, London, 06/01/2009 14:16
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Re: Annabelle of London.
The plural of BUS is buses. The plural of BUSES I suspect would be buseses.
- Teacher, London, 06/01/2009 09:24
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Back in the 60's there were many complaints about buses pulling out without signalling. A very appropriate & widely-published report from a bus driver was along the lines of: "We're 30'long, 8' wide, 12' tall, painted bright red & the biggest bloody thing on the road - and you want little yellow flashing lights?"
(When did Ledbury Road become "fashionable?" Aside from "Asterix" & a couple of antique shops there wasn't much there the last time I visited).
- Mike, Dracut, MA, USA, 06/01/2009 00:50
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I was there when it happened and it wasn't the driver's fault, some bloke pulled straight out of a side street in front of him on a crossroads and into the side of the bus. This caused it to swerve and mount the pavement. It was pure luck noone was walking along the pavement and noone was more seriously injured!
- Eyewitness, London, 05/01/2009 22:50
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Oi! Paul & Thomasthetaxi, both of London. The bus drivers I have encountered have all been courteous, and also skilful in the handling of their vehicles around the many obstacles caused by (a) vans, parked on double yellow or red lines etc., and (b) taxis (both the black and mini cab variety), neither of which category deserve any praise. By the way Thomas: the plural of buses is buses, not busses.
- Annabelle, london, 05/01/2009 21:59
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I have had a multitude of near misses with London buses. I drive extensivly throughout the UK and quite honestly only fear London buses. A couple of weeks back I was in the third lane of three and a bus pulled out from a bus stop across all lanes without indicating and obviously without looking in his mirror. I had no option but to swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid him (traffic in the middle lane similarly veered lanes to avoid him too). Luckily it wasn't busy on the other side of the road and the other cars avoided hitting me. This is only one in a long list of near misses I've had with London buses. I think making them personally financially responsible for damage might make them be a little more careful.
- Annonymous, UK, 05/01/2009 21:45
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I am a bus driver from Norway, last June i have a group of Britsih tourists in my bus, from a cruise ship it was a sunday, and one of the tourist forgotten a filmroll in the bus, we drive from Hellesylt to Geiranger, and when i find the film, the group have left Geiranger with the ship, and the big question is, how can i find that couple, that lost their hollyday pictures???if anybody know something about this please contact me
- Jan Ole Vesterlid, Ålesund norway, 05/01/2009 21:08
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Just as well it was'nt a bendy bus otherwise we would have Andrew Gilligan having columns to write!
Luckily I did not go this way today!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 05/01/2009 21:07
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TFL need to look urgently to their training & recruitment policy on bus driver's.
Many of them drive aggresively, non couteous and are a menace to the capital's roads.
- Csp, bucks & london, 05/01/2009 19:46
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These nutters who drive buses nowadays are non courteous & demand the right to pull out on any one or any thing.
They drive in a most aggresive maner with no regard to anyone.
TFL need to look at their recruitment & training policy URGENTLY.
- Csp, bucks & london, 05/01/2009 19:42
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This does not surprise me as I was cut up by a bus which pulled out froma bus stop across three lanes in front of me and no indicators.
- Paul, London UK, 05/01/2009 18:36
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This is happening far too often and is the direct result of fast tracking drivers for London Busses. It used to take nine months to properly train a bus driver, now it takes about two weeks.
TFL's policy of profit over safty.
- Thomasthetaxi, london, 05/01/2009 17:07
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