Bus 'failed to stop after ploughing into woman'

AN INVESTIGATION is under way into claims the driver of a cross-country bus failed to stop after hitting a woman who fell from a footbridge on a motorway near Glasgow.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a 45-year-old woman died after falling from an overhead bridge on the M74 in Lanarkshire at the weekend.

The woman, who has not been named, fell near junction nine at Blackwood on Saturday night. It is believed she was then hit by a Megabus en route to London.

Passengers described feeling a "vibration" as the double-decker coach appeared to hit an object. However, the vehicle did not stop immediately after the incident, travelling on to Preston, some 150 miles away.

It not clear whether the woman had been killed by the fall, but Strathclyde Police said there did not appear to be any suspicious circumstances.

Stagecoach, which owns Megabus, confirmed it had been contacted by the force about an incident involving one of its buses.

The company is investigating and it is understood a bus has been taken to a depot in Rugby for examination.

Stagecoach said its investigation focused on its Aberdeen to London service, which left Glasgow's Buchanan Bus Station at 11pm on Saturday.

The company is thought to have first become aware that there may have been an incident when it was contacted by police.

John Thompson, who was one of around 70 passengers on board the bus, said the coach drove on for several hours after the incident.

The 45-year-old, who was returning to his home in Twickenham after visiting his parents in Glasgow, said: "I was sitting directly behind the driver and I heard a rumbling noise and felt a vibration under the coach. I thought maybe it was a small animal.

"The driver just kept on driving. When we got to Preston, there was a change of driver but he didn't say anything at all."

Recalling the moment he thought something was wrong, Mr Thompson, a musician, said he could "hear something rattling".

He added: "While we were stopped in Preston, there were five or six guys out with torches and they put the beam of a smaller bus on our coach and they were all looking under it.

"But nothing was said to passengers. We were not told it was diverting to Rugby. It was only when we arrived at the small bus depot there that they said we had to change coach because this coach was being impounded by police forensics."

A relief driver took over the service at Preston, before the passengers were transferred to two other vehicles at the Rugby depot.

A spokeswoman for Megabus said: "Our immediate thoughts are with the family of the person who has died at what must be an extremely distressing time.

"We are assisting police with their inquiries and have also launched our own investigation into the matter.

"Safety is our absolute priority and we are taking this incident extremely seriously. We can confirm that the driver of the vehicle has been suspended while the investigation continues."

Inspector Keith Prentice of Strathclyde Police urged any motorists who may have information to come forward. "It is important that we speak to anyone who was travelling on the M74 around 11:30pm on Saturday night.

"We would urge drivers and their passengers to contact us on 01698 483000."