Six injured after triple bus collision on Capital's guided route

INVESTIGATIONS are under way after a three-bus shunt on the Capital's guided busway system left six people injured.

The crash happened on the city's Fastlink busway running alongside Broomhouse Drive, and involved a double-decker and two other buses.

It is understood the crash happened when a single-decker service crashed into the back of a slowing-down double-decker, which was then shunted into another single-decker in front, which had come to a stop.

Six people were injured in total, including the driver of the bus at the back of the pile-up.

Ambulance and emergency crews were alerted and attended the scene of the crash, which happened around 2pm yesterday.

Three fire engines went to the scene, prompted by fears that passengers could be trapped.

Fire crews had to help some of the injured passengers off the buses but most were unhurt after their ordeal. The injuries of the six hurt were described as minor, with some cuts and effects of whiplash. Ambulance crews took them to hospital.

Officers from Lothian and Borders road safety team were at the incident.

Investigations into the cause of the accident are under way and will look at whether driver error or a fault with the guided busway system was the cause.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police appealed for witnesses and said: "We are looking for anyone who saw the incident to get in touch.

"We are especially keen to hear from anyone who was a passenger on the bus that had stopped.

"Some people from the front bus had left when police first arrived."

The spokesman also said police had already spoken to the passengers of the other two buses.

The Fastlink busway, a two-lane, 1.5km stretch of road from Stenhouse to Broomhouse, opened in December 2004 at a cost of £10 million, promising a "fast, modern bus service that will speed past traffic congestion".

The buses have specially adapted wheels which fit between rails on either side of the bus lane so they can slip on to the guided busway, avoiding traffic jams on the adjoining roads.

But users had complained the ride was too rough, and the busway was forced to close for repairs in July 2005, so that bumpy tracks could be smoothed out.

It also closed for a second time later that year for a few days.

Council chiefs are currently considering plans to build another guided busway on sections of the route from the city centre to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We had to take six people to hospital but they were what you would describe as "walking wounded" and it was more of a check-up than anything.

"Three ambulances attended the crash and all of the injured were taken to the ERI."

A spokesman for Lothian Buses said: "We believe the injuries were minor and we are co-operating fully with the vehicle and operator services agency and also with all emergency services. The incident is being investigated fully."

He also said that the drivers would be interviewed by Lothian Buses, as well as by the police.