Man critical after bus crashes into railway bridge

A 60-year-old man is in critical condition after a bus took a wrong turn and crashed into a railway bridge.

The 4A First Bus, which was carrying 11 passengers, became wedged under the bridge on Cook Street in Glasgow city centre at about 18:00 on Saturday. Part of the vehicle’s roof was torn off as a result.

Five other men and one woman were also taken to hospital for minor injuries and have since been discharged. The remaining four were checked at the scene and the driver was not hurt.

Police Scotland has launched an investigation into the collision and inquiries are ongoing.

In May last year, 10 people were taken to hospital after a bus crashed into the same railway bridge.

Roads around the bridge were closed at the time but reopened at about 00:30.

The street is one-way and the bridge, near the O2 Academy, is located shortly after a turn – though is clearly marked for vehicles under 3.8 metres (12.5 ft).

ScotRail closed a number of lines due to the crash but services resumed later in the evening.

First Bus launched its own investigation and said it is assisting police with inquiries.

Network Rail said a team had inspected the bridge and found there was no structural damage – but that rail passengers had experienced “unnecessary delays”.

A spokesperson said: “The incident caused significant disruptions and cancellations to train services.

“Bridge strikes like this cost taxpayers millions of pounds each year and are entirely preventable.

“We urge drivers to always consider the height and size of their vehicles, including any loads they are carrying, and to carefully plan their routes to avoid incidents that put our infrastructure at risk.”