Published: Wednesday, 24th September, 2008 10:30
Boss denies wheels ‘fell off’ his bus
By Julie Gilbert
Print Article
But witness provides photo evidence
STRANDED: The crippled bus
BANKIES were left shocked when they allegedly saw the wheels “fall off” a moving bus.
Witness Shelley Halpin told how she was waiting at Chalmers Street bus stance when two back wheels rolled off a moving Avondale bus.
The vehicle, with passengers on board, was pulling into the stop when, one by one, both wheels from the left rear twin axle apparently disconnected and began rolling along the road.
The bus, effectively on three wheels, continued a short distance with the driver apparently unaware of the drama.
Shelly, who took pictures of the stray wheels on her mobile phone, said: “As the bus was coming through the lights, the wheels rolled off one at a time.
“The driver was completely unaware and pedestrians were shouting ‘your wheels have come off’.
“If the driver had been coming at speed it could have been really, really serious.
“Imagine if he’d been coming down Kilbowie Road.
“For the wheels to just come off that’s absolutely shocking.
“I will never use an Avondale bus again.”
Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT) recently launched a bus warden scheme to improve the standards of bus companies in Clydebank.
Their spokeswoman said: “If that happened then it’s clearly a serious matter, and we would trust that full information about the incident would be passed by the operator to the Traffic Commissioner.”
However, Avondale denied the incident even took place when contacted by the Post.
A spokesman claimed one of the tyres had a puncture but was adamant that the wheels had not come off.
He said: “The driver noticed there was a puncture, an inner wheel puncture, and the mechanic went out to it.
“He took the two wheels off. No wheels came off the bus.”
Where you a passenger on the bus? Call the news room on 0141 952 0565.
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