SCHOOL BUS CRASH REPORTS 2007

Pupils Shaken as Wheel Falls Off School Bus
16 March, 2007

PUPILS were left shaken after a wheel came off their packed school bus. The 49 youngsters were on their way to Speyside High School in Aberlour on Tuesday morning, after being picked up from their homes in the Tomintoul area, when the 18-year-old school bus suffered a serious mechanical failure.

Moray Council immediately suspended its school transport contract with operator Hays of Huntly.

Fortunately the vehicle had slowed down to stop at traffic lights on the approach to Aberlour where there are roadworks or, said one worried parent, the situation could have been far worse.

"The bus was entering Aberlour, and fortunately it had reached the 30mph limit when one of the wheels came off the bus. I don't think anyone was injured, but the children were shaken. They had to get off and walk the rest of the way," she said.

"I have had concerns about the bus before. This one was always breaking down, and on Monday morning it didn't arrive at all to pick the pupils up."

A council spokesman said: "As safety of school children is paramount for Moray Council, officers suspended the contract immediately pending an investigation. Another operator was in place to take the children home at the end of the school day, and will continue with the contract until the end of the school year."

Police and Moray Council transport officers carried out an investigation at the scene, and the matter has been reported to the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), which enforces the roadworthiness standards of vehicles and ensures the compliance of operators and drivers.

The incident was caused by the collapse of a wheel bearing, said a worker for Hays of Huntly. A new bearing was fitted in October, and it was not a case of neglect, he said. The matter has been reported to Volvo.

A section of the A95 was damaged as a result of the accident, and trunk road maintenance company BEAR Scotland was alerted.

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