A bus crashed into a low bridge in Bolton this evening, causing significant damage to the vehicle as its roof was torn off and debris scattered on the road. The incident, involving a Bee Network bus operated by Go North West, took place around 7.45pm on Weston Street. Fortunately, there were no passengers on board at the time, and the driver escaped without serious injuries.
The collision occurred with a 3.7m high rail bridge in the Burnden area, just south of Bolton town center, clearly marked as a ‘low bridge’ by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). The bus was reportedly returning to the depot when the accident happened.
Greater Manchester Police responded to the scene, closing the road for the removal of the bus and debris cleanup. Images from the area reveal the extent of the damage, with the entire roof detached from the bus and lying on the road.
A spokesperson from TfGM confirmed that the out-of-service bus collided with the low bridge, causing severe damage to its roof. The bus was empty, being driven back to the depot, and the driver sustained minor injuries. Authorities are investigating the incident in collaboration with the operator to determine the cause.
In a separate incident earlier in Edinburgh, emergency services rushed to Constitution Street in Leith following a tram-pedestrian collision. A 66-year-old man was injured in the incident, leading to road closures near The Shore tram stop. Constitution Street was reopened later after the situation was resolved.