A39 Somerset: Double-decker bus carrying 70 people overturns

No one has died after a double-decker bus carrying 70 people overturned in a crash in Somerset on Tuesday, with 54 patients triaged at the scene, Avon and Somerset Police said.

Police and the air ambulance attended the A39, near Cannington, at around 6am after a major incident was declared.

Inspector Rebecca Wells-Cole of Avon and Somerset Police gave a statement to press near the scene of the bus crash, confirming there had been no fatalities.

She said: “This morning at 6am, Tuesday the 17th of January, we were called to the A39 Quantock Road in Bridgewater following a report of a road-related incident involving a double-decker bus and a motorcyclist.

“We can now confirm the double-decker bus was carrying 70 Hinkley Point C workers and the bus driver when it overturned.

“The incident was initially declared as a major incident due to the number of people involved and the resources required.

“This has since been stood down.”

A spokesman said: “A significant number of police, fire and ambulance units are on the scene and a major incident has been declared.”

The scene on the A39 Quantock Road in Bridgwater after a double-decker bus overturned in a crash involving a motorcycle. Picture date: Tuesday January 17, 2023.

Police in England urged people to “please only travel if it is absolutely essential” as they received more than 100 reports of road-related incidents in five hours amid icy conditions following a weather warning.

Passengers on the double decker bus that overturned in Somerset on Tuesday morning included workers from Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.

A spokesman for the power station said: “I can confirm that it was a bus carrying workers to Hinkley Point C.”

Superintendent Mark Runacres said: “We are advising the public to only travel where absolutely essential due to the treacherous driving conditions.

Police at the scene on the A39 Quantock Road in Bridgwater after a double-decker bus overturned in a crash involving a motorcycle. Picture date: Tuesday January 17, 2023.

“If travel is necessary, we ask the public to take extreme caution and allow additional time to travel.

“We have seen a significantly higher number of road-related collisions and incidents in the past 12 hours, which has increased the demand on police resources.

“We are working with local authorities and National Highways to ensure roads are properly gritted ahead of the rush-hour traffic to improve driving conditions.”

A total of 53 crashes were reported to police in England between 6pm and 11pm on Monday, most of them due to the freezing weather causing dangerous driving conditions.