A second bus has collided with a bridge in Manchester in less than 24 hours, prompting renewed concerns about vehicle safety on the city’s roads. The latest incident occurred this morning on Ten Acres Lane in Newton Heath, causing significant disruption to rail services between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge.
The purple Metroline double-decker driver training bus sustained substantial damage to its roof after striking the bridge. Emergency services were called to the scene at the junction of Barton Road and Trafford Road in Eccles just after 3pm on Monday, where the first incident had occurred less than 24 hours earlier.
National Rail confirmed the impact on services, with a spokesperson stating: “All lines have now reopened between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge following a road vehicle colliding with a bridge between Manchester Victoria and Ashton-under-Lyne.”
Rail Services Disrupted
The collision resulted in immediate disruption to commuter services during the morning rush hour. Trains may be cancelled, delayed by up to 25 minutes or diverted, National Rail warned passengers. Disruption was expected to continue until midday.
Despite the severity of the impact, railway engineers who inspected the bridge found no structural damage. Services began returning to normal operations as the morning progressed, though passengers faced ongoing delays as the backlog cleared.
Previous Day’s Major Incident
The Newton Heath collision follows a serious incident in Eccles on Monday afternoon that left 15 people hospitalised. Three people have sustained serious injuries. One of them is in a critical condition, Greater Manchester Police confirmed.
North West Ambulance Service declared a major incident shortly afterwards, deploying extensive resources to the scene. “The trust dispatched a number of resources, including ten emergency ambulances, advanced paramedics, our Hazard Area Response Team (HART) and colleagues from North West Air Ambulance”, an NWAS spokesperson said.
The bus involved was a number 100 Bee Network service operated by Stagecoach, travelling from Shudehill to Warrington via Salford and the Trafford Centre. Witnesses described hearing screams coming from the top of the bus, with passengers ducking for cover as glass shattered and debris fell.
Investigation Launched
Transport for Greater Manchester has launched an immediate investigation into both incidents. Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “An immediate and urgent investigation into the circumstances is underway and we are working closely with the investigation team at Greater Manchester Police and the bus operator, Stagecoach.
The commissioner emphasised that passenger safety remained the absolute priority, adding: “This is clearly a distressing situation for everyone involved and we’d like to thank emergency services for their swift response”.
Pattern of Incidents Raises Concerns
The Eccles bridge where Monday’s crash occurred has been involved in previous collisions. A bus has previously had its roof ripped off after striking the same bridge in April 2023, raising questions about whether adequate safety measures are in place.
Local residents have expressed frustration at the repeated incidents. “I was shocked but not surprised as this is the third time this has happened”, one witness told reporters at the scene.
Metroline’s Manchester Operations
The driver training bus involved in this morning’s Newton Heath incident belongs to Metroline, which is preparing to begin operations in Greater Manchester. Six purple double-deckers for that have moved to Manchester from London as part of the company’s preparation for taking over franchise contracts in January 2025.
They require 420 buses and over 1,350 drivers and are worth £422 million over five years under the Bee Network franchising system. The training programme is crucial for ensuring drivers are familiar with Manchester routes before services commence.
Safety Measures Under Review
The two incidents within 24 hours have prompted calls for enhanced safety measures around low bridges in Greater Manchester. The bridge, which has clear height restriction signage, has been involved in previous incidents, and local residents are now questioning whether more should be done to prevent future collisions.
Transport safety experts suggest that additional warning systems, including electronic height detectors and improved signage, may be necessary to prevent similar incidents. The investigation will examine whether current safety protocols are sufficient and what improvements might be implemented.
Impact on Public Transport
Both incidents have highlighted the vulnerability of Manchester’s transport infrastructure when bridge strikes occur. The disruption to rail services from this morning’s collision affected thousands of commuters travelling between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge, a key route for those living in eastern Greater Manchester.
The psychological impact on passengers cannot be understated. “I could just hear screaming coming from the top of the bus”, an eyewitness to Monday’s crash reported, arriving at the scene just two minutes after the collision.
Moving Forward
As Greater Manchester prepares for the full implementation of the Bee Network bus franchising system in 2025, these incidents serve as a stark reminder of the importance of comprehensive safety training and infrastructure assessment. With new operators like Metroline joining the network, ensuring all drivers are thoroughly familiar with local hazards, including low bridges, will be paramount.
The investigations into both incidents will likely result in recommendations for improved safety measures, potentially including enhanced driver training programmes, better warning systems, and infrastructure modifications where necessary. The safety of passengers and the reliability of the region’s integrated transport network depend on learning from these serious incidents.
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