Investigation continues as ten in hospital after bus roof ripped off in rail bridge collision

Police Scotland are investigating the circumstances surrounding a crash this morning on Cook Street in Tradeston that saw a Glasgow bus collide with a rail bridge, severing off the roof. Emergency services attended the scene, with ten people rushed to hospital and others treated at the scene. The approach to the bridge is clearly signed with warnings advising drivers of height restrictions.

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “Operations control mobilised three appliances to Cook Street, where firefighters supported partners to make the area safe.

“A number of additional casualties have been treated at the scene but do not require to be taken to hospital.”

The incident is similar to a crash which took place in 2009, when a double-decker bus en route to a depot lost its roof after the driver rammed into the bridge while turning into Cook Street.

Paramedics and firefighters attended the scene after the incident, which took place at around 11.35am, with police closing off a number of roads around Salkeld Street, Kilbirnie Street and Commerce Street, a key conduit for traffic coming in and out of the city centre.

It is not clear how the bus came to strike the bridge, or what damage it caused to the infrastructure, but Network Rail’s engineers had to carry out an urgent safety inspection, forcing it to close to rail services.

The knock-on effect saw major disruption on Scotrail’s services between Glasgow and Paisley, as well as the lines between Glasgow Central and Ayr, Largs, and Gourock, with several services on the latter three routes cancelled.

The stretch of line between Glasgow and Paisley reopened shortly after 2.30pm, but Scotrail said the disruption was expected to continue until early evening.

The Cook Street bridge has been regularly struck by vehicles over the years. According to Network Rail, there were 37 such incidents between 2009 and 2017.

Chief Inspector Elaine Tomlinson, of Police Scotland’s Greater Glasgow Division, said: “Around 11.35am on Sunday, 21 May, 2023, we received a report of a bus crashing into a bridge on Cook Street, Glasgow.

“Emergency services attended and 10 people were taken to various hospitals for treatment.

“A number of road closures remain in place, with disruption to some rail services.”

In a statement, First Bus confirmed one of its buses was involved in the incident. The company said: “We are working closely with the emergency services at the scene and our thoughts are with those involved in the incident.”

A spokesman for Network Rail said: “We’re assisting the emergency services, who are responding to a bus trapped beneath a bridge between Glasgow Central and Paisley Gilmour Street.”