Passenger 'critical' after bus crashes into Glasgow bridge that has been hit 17 times

A passenger is in a critical condition after a bus crashed into a railway bridge that had already been struck by vehicles 17 times in just more than a decade.

The double-decker 4A First Bus became wedged under the bridge at Glasgow’s Cook Street just before 6pm on Saturday night.

The bus stuck under the bridge on Cook Street, Glasgow | Paul English / SWNS

A 60-year-old man was seriously injured and remained in a critical condition in hospital on Sunday afternoon.

Six others were taken by ambulance to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for treatment for minor injuries and have since been discharged.

It comes after 19 people were injured in May last year when the roof of a double decker was sheared off at the bridge on Cook Street, just south of Glasgow Central.

Bus roof previously sheared off in Cook Street incident on May 21, 2023. | Picture: Network Rail

After last year’s collision, The Scotsman obtained a breakdown showing there had been 16 previous incidents at the site in recent years.

They included three in 2022 involving lorries, as well as eight collisions in 2013.

There were a further two strikes in 2014 and one each in 2015, 2017 and 2018.

The Network Rail figures also showed a bridge in adjacent Wallace Street was struck seven times over the same period.

Spike Turner, a passenger who was third from the front of the bus on Saturday evening, told the BBC the driver had taken a wrong turn and crashed "straight into the bridge".

He said: “I was fine, the lady in front of me might have been concussed. The bridge itself wasn't high enough to hit anyone's heads but parts of the bus exterior have swung down.

"The man in the front seat was in a really, really bad state. He's got a lot of blood and a massive gash on his head."

A number of roads were closed in the area but have now reopened after the bus was removed.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Roads in Glasgow have reopened after a bus crashed into a bridge on Cook Street.

“The incident happened around 5.55pm on Saturday, 14 December, 2024 and there were 11 passengers on the bus.

“Emergency services attended and one man, aged 60, was seriously injured. He remains in a critical condition in Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

“One woman, aged 52, and five men, aged 30, 32, 33, 33 and 41 were taken by ambulance to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for treatment to minor injuries. They have since been discharged.

“Four others were checked at the scene and have no reported injuries. The driver was not injured.

“All roads reopened around 12.30am on Sunday, 15 December, 2024. Enquiries remain ongoing.”

First Bus said that one its buses on the 4A route in Glasgow was “involved in a bridge strike incident” at about 6pm, in which a double decker bus hit a railway bridge on Cook Street.

A spokesman said: “We’re aware of numerous injuries, with one person being taken to hospital in an ambulance. We have launched an immediate investigation and are also assisting Police Scotland with their inquiries.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident.”

It is not known in which direction the bus was travelling but the 4A route runs between Broomhill and Eaglesham.