Cambridgeshire guided buses crash with fire engine in Northstowe

Eleven people have been taken to hospital after a crash between two guided buses and a fire engine.

It happened on the B1050 Station Road at the junction with the Busway in Northstowe, near Cambridge, shortly after 14:00 BST.

Cambridgeshire County Council said the road had been closed in both directions and buses, which use dedicated lanes, had been diverted.

An eyewitness to the aftermath of the collision said it looked “pretty horrendous”.

The Busway lanes/tracks have raised concrete sides, which can only be used by modified vehicles, although they have junctions with normal roads.

An East of England Ambulance Service spokesman said four ambulances, three Hazardous Area Response Team vehicles, two paramedic cars and helicopters from the East Anglian Air Ambulance and MAGPAS were sent.

The council said it was working with the emergency services and the bus operator.

The authority added that a diversion route was in place via Longstanton roundabout to the A1307 at Swavesey crossroads.

Ian Missen saw the aftermath of the crash and said it was “pretty horrendous”.

“There was two buses and a fire engine and it looked like the fire engine had hit one bus which pushed that bus into another bus,” he said.

“The traffic lights at the Northstowe guided bus – they are so quick in changing from the road to the guided bus that I’m surprised there hasn’t been more crashes there.

“It was on the B1050 between Northstowe and Willingham… closer to Northstowe than Willingham.”

At a crown court hearing earlier on Wednesday, the council was fined £6m after three deaths on The Busway, which offers three routes in Cambridge with links to Huntingdon and St Ives.

Judge Mark Bishop criticised the authority for its “rigid and blinkered response” to the fatalities, as well as numerous near-misses and accidents.

The authority had previously admitted two safety breaches and said it was “truly sorry”.