Bus crashes near bridge in Alton

[oldgitBEN]

just seen abit about it on the net, awful news.

The roads are tricky there, especially if you aren't used to them and I imagine its ever so hard driving a bus around there. To be honest Im suprised there hasn't been an accident before.

Perhaps now there might be some sort of safety practices put around the area.

Such a horrible event.

[Lauren]

Woah, my mum just told me about this and i'm so shocked. I knew something like this was going to happen sooner or later, as i go on the coach to alton regulary and that exact bridge and the surrounding roads are rollercoasters in themselves. One of our bus drivers told us about he was very close to crashing and that he had to ask if he could drive on other daytrips because he simply did not want to be held responsible if there was a accident. I'm going by coach on wednesday to alton, i hope that those people are okay - and i hope nothing like this ever happens again. As many have said i hope Alton Towers take further action with the bypass.

[LiamSAFC]

In any situation, it is awful to find out that a person has died and dozens injured. I think this will probably be the catalyst for Alton Towers, the local council and perhaps the JJB folk to sit down and come to an agreement about the road situation.

To lose a life over perhaps negligence in all areas involved is a huge blow to any community. Whatever the cause, something must be done to prevent this ever happening again. Most roads either North or South of Alton Towers are very tricky indeed to drive as most of them are country roads. Whist we appreciate Alton Towers supply good information to find your way to the Theme Park, alot more can be done to help navigate through the difficult roads, this probably being an example of this.

Safety is paramount in any circumstance, lets hope that in the future, this can be prevented.

[robrymond]

On this occasion though, they weren't going to or from the towers? So essentially this could have happened on any nasty section of road and has probably little influence on what they do despite it being the main road to the park.

[Rob L]

[quote=""robrymond""]On this occasion though, they weren't going to or from the towers? So essentially this could have happened on any nasty section of road and has probably little influence on what they do despite it being the main road to the park.[/quote]

They were on their way back from a day at the park, that's the only reason why the bus was there at the time. The bypass has got to be built no matter what the cost is, people's safety come first.

[PeteB]

This is tragic news, I'm glued to BBC News for updates. Police were just saying recovery of the coach will be extremely difficult due to where its fell.

Definately time for change I think where these roads are concerned, its just a shame it takes something like this to shake people out of apathy. But in all fairness people have been bangin on about that new access road for more than long enough and regardless of the of cause of this accident that road IS unsuitable for the heavey traffic to and from Alton Towers.

[Green.Wing]

No doubt now that there will be a bypass road now. And i would guess that now the council will help with paying for it

[robrymond]

I read earlier they were farmers being transported from something unrelated to Alton and the 'Alton Towers spokesman said the bus was not from the park' or something.

Either way it needs sorting.

[Chris W]

[quote=""robrymond""]I read earlier they were farmers being transported from something unrelated to Alton and the 'Alton Towers spokesman said the bus was not from the park' or something.

Either way it needs sorting.[/quote]

I think the statement from Alton saying the bus wasn't from the park was due to the rumours that they were Alton Towers workers when was breaking.

[Vik]

Even if this awful accident finally gets those in Authority to finally get things moving with the by-pass, it will still be years away, with all the planning, and public consultations any many other stages to go through.

It is just a shame that takes something like this, and the loss of life before any action is ever taken.

[Craig]

They mean that the bus wasn't belonging to the park. As in, it's not a staff bus carrying workers home, it is one with guests on, not hired or owned by the park itself.

[Ollie]

[quote=""robrymond""]I read earlier they were farmers being transported from something unrelated to Alton and the 'Alton Towers spokesman said the bus was not from the park' or something.[/quote]

They were Workers from a Farm in Peterborough apparently. The Alton Towers spokeswoman confirmed that the Workers were not related to AT in anyway, with the exception of visiting the Park today.

[jonathan leake]

No suprise. it really sad though that is a stupied hill for coaches.

[robrymond]

[quote=""Ollie""][quote=""robrymond""]I read earlier they were farmers being transported from something unrelated to Alton and the 'Alton Towers spokesman said the bus was not from the park' or something.[/quote]

They were Workers from a Farm in Peterborough apparently. The Alton Towers spokeswoman confirmed that the Workers were not related to AT in anyway, with the exception of visiting the Park today.[/quote]

Right, I follow now!

[Wortho]

I heard for a friend as soon as it happened and really sad to see this happen, It looks terrible, However I think crys for the bypass are abit prehemptive at the moment, I've driven those roads many times over the 3 years I have worked at Alton Towers and in my experiance and long as you careful your fine its just sometimes people don't drive carefully round those roads and thats what causes accidents. We can't all judge the roads on 1 accident that has happened. And if the bypass is built the roads from there leading up to the park will still be the same as the only route open to this road is down the old railway line which is where this coach has crashed. It's a terrible tragerdy but I think that people are jumping the gun abit to blame the roads at the moment, lets wait until the cause has been established.

[Liam]

[quote=""Wortho""]And if the bypass is built the roads from there leading up to the park will still be the same as the only route open to this road is down the old railway line which is where this coach has crashed[/quote]
That's not correct. The bypass heads into the park to the east of the hotel complex and up a much shallower valley from Denstone does it not?

[Wortho]

[quote=""Liam""][quote=""Wortho""]And if the bypass is built the roads from there leading up to the park will still be the same as the only route open to this road is down the old railway line which is where this coach has crashed[/quote]
That's not correct. The bypass heads into the park to the east of the hotel complex and up a much shallower valley from Denstone does it not?[/quote]

From what I've heard plan wise it was to use the old railway line that goes from denstone to just before the station joining the road there which meant bypassing Alton however when this was pitched to the locals they didn't like the idea as the old line is a favourite public walkway.

[Squiggles]

The version I heard was the same as the one Liam has mentioned, using part of the railway line then heading into the hotel complex end... using some JCB land as I recall.

But even the route you've mentioned there would have prevented this accident, as it would remove the very bend this has all happened on.

[Wes]

I doubt much will be done to the road in all honesty, I doubt it will encourage a bypass, I expect we will just see some tightened speed limits and safety features.

[Wortho]

Route that I heard was planned: