Many hurt in Luton Airport bus crash

[LTNman]

A local bus has completely taken out the easybus bus shelter in the central area injuring 8 people 4 of them seriously. The shelter is completely flattened and is lying in the road. The whole bus station area has been closed since 10:30 this morning with the crashed bus still to be moved. The police are still everywhere as their investigation team look over the site. Many of the injured are thought to be foreign nationals who have been in the UK for less than an hour. First reports are now on the BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/essex/4622353.stm

[PAXboy]

This happened at about 10:15/25. We were in the mid-term park, waiting for a bus when the first ambulance went by.

Our bus was delayed as the whole bus terminus was shut down and people were dropped off at the roundabout. Vehicles were backing up on the approach of course. Later, they would doubtless have organised something better but they responded very fast to an unusual and grim incident. By the time we were off loaded (about 10:35) and walking around the side of the bus and taxi area, the emergency services were in full swing.

The mess was significant and several ambulances and Paramedic vehicles. People on the ground were already bandaged and so on. The police arrived in some numbers with specialist equipment and vehicles. The Fire Brigade were not called (that I saw) as the bus had simply ploughed into the queue and no one was trapped in or under anything.

It was a stop in the middle of the three rows of bus stops - I have no idea which destination stop it was but NOT the ones for the on site car parks. The 'shelter' of perspex and aluminium was trashed and the people must have been very seriously damaged.

They set up a First Aid post just inside the terminal (on the right) and screened off the area for minor injuries. The were giving PA's for those that witnessed it.

I'm sure that the LTN dwellers will bring us more news of this when the weekly papers are published.

[Tiger]

Its made The Leighton Buzzard on Sunday page 4.

Basically 8 people were rushed to the L&D hospital- 3 with serious head injuries and 1 with serious chest injuries. All the others involved had minor cuts and bruises.

It was single decker bus on Arriva route 31 to Leighton Buzzard from the airport. The accident happened approx 10.30am which caused chaos outside the main terminal. Beds & Herts Ambulance treated the driver for shock but not taken to hospital.

And anyone with any information should contact the police.

Thats about it...

[Powerjet1]

It seems to have made most of the national sunday papers as well. Let's hope all those people injured in the accident make a speedy recovery.

Unfortunate as it is, perhaps it might gee up some swift action to improve the bus station area and drop off zone, which are in urgent need of improvement, to avoid a similar thing happening in the future.

[Jordan D]

Without wanting to seem insensitive to those injured, maybe this unfortunate demolition will mean a better, safe and improved re-build.

Jordan

[LTNman]

Last year the turning circle was made bigger by reducing the length of the centre isles but in recent weeks one bus stop was damaged by a reversing bus and another post almost bent double by a lorry. Can’t see what else can be done as the site is hemmed in on all 4 sides.

It always amazes me the number of cars that don’t see the no entry signs and drive into the bus station to drop off passengers in the turning circle.