School bus crash causes exam trauma
A SCHOOL bus was involved in a crash on a road covered with 'sheet ice' in Ryhill.
The bus, operated by CT Plus, collided with a car on Nostell Lane at about 8am on Tuesday.
It was on its way to collect pupils from Havercroft to take them to Hemsworth Arts and Community College (HACC), but the accident happened before the pick-up point.
CT Plus said the road was ungritted and the bus slid on the ice. The bus was empty apart from the driver and no-one was injured.
But pupils were left stranded and HACC's assistant principal, Stephen Foster, said: "Some of the children were late. It was disappointing as our year 10 students were taking an important maths exam. If any students missed it, they will be given the opportunity to take it."
A temporary road closure was put in place on the road between the junctions at Swine Lane, Ryhill, and Santingley Lane, Crofton.
A CT Plus spokesman said: "The bus was going at a very low speed and caught the side of the car. It was sheet ice up there. It just slid slightly. We think all bus routes should be gritted but councils have a restriction on what they can use and when they can use it. Unfortunately they can't cover all bus routes."
Nostell Lane is not shown as a priority gritting route on Wakefield Council's website.
Following the crash, the Express asked the council what it proposed to do to make it safe for pupils to get to school when the authority was restricted to which roads it grits.
Graham West, Wakefield Council's highways network manager, said: "We are obviously concerned to hear about any incident on the highways during this cold weather.
"However, grit continues to be a concern nationally, with the government still rationing salt across the country.
"Because of this, the council is having to carefully manage grit supplies and as a result only grits priority routes.
"These are available to see online at www.wakefield.gov.uk or available by calling 08458 506506. We advise drivers to plans ahead of their journeys.
"All other routes are not necessarily being treated and we would advise drivers and public transport operators to plan accordingly."
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Weather for Wakefield
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
