Tyrone Constitution - News - School pupils escape injury as bus goes off the road

News

School pupils escape injury as bus goes off the road

Thursday, 4 February 2010

by Julie Moore
CONCERN has been voiced for the safety of road users on the Drumlegagh Road South, near Omagh, this week, after around 60 school pupils travelling on an Ulsterbus, and a further two passengers in a car, escaped serious injury when both vehicles went off the road in two incidents on Monday afternoon.
According to a PSNI spokesperson, the incidents happened shortly after 4pm: "Police received a report that a bus carrying about 60 school pupils had gone off the road and into a field. On going to the scene, they discovered that a car with two people on board had gone into a field on the other side of the road a short time before the bus crashed."
Putting both incidents down to 'poor road conditions' following snow and icy weather conditions, the spokesperson said that while there were no reports of any injuries from either vehicle, the driver of the Ulsterbus had to be treated for shock.
A concerned resident of the Drumlegagh Road South area, who contacted the Tyrone Constitution on Monday evening, said the fact that no gritting had been carried out on the road meant it was 'an accident waiting to happen'.
“This is a very, very busy road," he said, "My wife has spoken to the gritters just before the 'big freeze' and they told her that from their count of the vehicles on this road, there weren't enough to have gritters out.
“They must have done their count 20 to 30 years ago because I know how busy this road is. And if you hit a patch of black ice, there is nothing you can do, it is just an accident waiting to happen." The resident said that he was aware of a number of occasions where vehicles had gone off the road in icy weather conditions.
“A lot of parents are using this road to take children to and from school."
Principal of Omagh Academy, Mr Keith Hill, told the Tyrone Constitution on Tuesday that around eight of his pupils had been travelling on the Ulsterbus when the incident occurred.
He said: "There were around eight pupils from this school on the bus but thankfully none of them appear to have significant injuries and seem to be taking it in their stride.
Safety
“Roads Service obviously have to make difficult decisions about gritting roads due to financial constraints, but schools would appreciate whatever can be done to improve bus routes to and from schools to ensure the safety of all school pupils."
The Monday afternoon incidents have prompted Omagh district councillors to renew their appeal for Tyrone's rural roads to be considered in the winter gritting schedule.
Stating that it was fortunate on this occasion that there were no casualties, West Tyrone councillor, Pat McDonnell, said the 'failure of DRD Roads Service to grit Drumlegagh Road South is a tragedy waiting to happen'.
“There were no casualties, but we may not be so lucky the next time.
“DRD Roads Service will try to hide behind the 'minimum numbers' argument. That is not good enough and I have been in contact with Roads Service requesting that Drumlegagh Road South be placed permanently on the gritting schedule.
“Any public road carrying a busload of schoolchildren should be gritted as a matter of course.
“In connection with this matter, I would suggest that the secondary schools in Omagh who draw pupils from the Drumquin/Drumlegagh area should add their voices to this request."
Meanwhile, Omagh Town councillor, Ross Hussey, said he believed 'now is the time that DRD seriously reconsider their policy in relation to gritting the roads'. "There is no doubt that this was an accident waiting to happen.
“There are a lot of rural roads in Tyrone which are not gritted, and considering the very, very bad spate of weather we have experienced, I would think there should be a requirement that any road where children are being brought to or from school should be gritted. We are very lucky that there were no injures here - I'm sure some of the children will be suffering flashbacks in relation to the incident.
“I would ask DRD Roads Service to seriously reconsider their gritting policy. If a school bus is on a road with up to 60 children on board, the least we can expect is that the road would be gritted."
A Translink spokesperson said that following the incident, onward transport was provided for those travelling on the bus.
Top priority
“The health and safety of all our passengers and employees is of top priority at all times. Translink are assisting PSNI with their enquiries," the spokesperson added.
West Tyrone councillor, Frankie Donnelly, said passengers in both vehicles had a 'miraculous escape' and added that he hoped lessons could be learnt from the incident.
“Every time Roads Service have come to a council meeting in Omagh, I have raised this road with them. It is not on the gritting schedule. The only undertaking they have every given is to do another traffic survey, which was carried out not that long ago. They say there needs to be 1,500 vehicles on the road for them to come out and grit it, and this road just falls below that all the time.
“I have asked that they make an exception in this case because of the nature of the road - it is shaded in parts and it doesn't thaw as well as other roads. I understand there needs to be guidelines in place and policies for this kind of thing, but there are exceptions to all rules."
A DRD spokesperson said: "Roads Service is aware of the traffic accident involving a bus and car on the Drumlegagh Road South outside Omagh.
“Roads Service is awaiting police reports on the incident and cannot comment further on the cause of the accident.
“This road is not gritted as part of the schedule of gritted routes as it fails to reach the threshold of 1,500 vehicles per day. However, the road was gritted at 10:30am as part of secondary gritting, after the scheduled gritting had been completed on Monday morning.
“No complaints were received about road conditions before the incident on Drumlegagh Road South."
Police are appealing for any witnesses of either incident to come forward.
Other vehicles were in the area at the time and police would like to speak to anyone who witnessed either incident. The number to call is 0845 600 800. Alternatively, information can be given anonymously to the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.