Avoid A34

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
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bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ox … e-30474952
Broken-down First Great Western rail replacement bus hit by lorry
The crash scene on the A34 Bus passenger Adam Graves said it “ended up part down the embankment” after being hit by the lorry

Three people have been injured after a broken-down rail replacement bus was hit by a lorry on the A34 in Oxfordshire.

Fifty people were onboard the First Great Western rail replacement service from Oxford to Didcot, when it was hit at Drayton at 00:30 GMT.

One of the three people taken to hospital had serious but non life-threatening injuries, police said.

Investigations are under way and the southbound carriageway remains closed.
‘Correct safety procedures’

The remaining passengers, who did not require hospital treatment, were taken to Abingdon Police Station.

The bus was a replacement for the 00:05 First Great Western service from Oxford to Didcot.
The crash scene on the A34 First Great Western said initial reports suggested the bus driver “followed correct safety procedures”

Bus passenger Adam Graves said on Twitter: “One moment the bus power failed, a minute or 2 later the lorry hit us. Bus ended up part down the embankment. #a34”

He described the situation as “nuts”.

In a statement, a First Great Western spokesman said the firm was “keen” to offer support to all of the bus passengers and their families.

He said initial reports from its own contractor “suggest the driver followed correct safety procedures”, but added police were investigating.

“We are offering them any assistance we can to understand the full details of the incident,” he added.
Botley interchange The A34 remains closed southbound from the Botley interchange (pictured) to Milton interchange

The A34 is shut between the Botley and Milton interchanges and is expected to remain closed until 11:00. Diversions are in place.

Police on site are having problems with drivers ignoring the closure and driving through, according to BBC Radio Oxford travel reporter Sara Dumbell.

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I wonder if it’s a DHL motor involved. Good to hear it’s not fatal.

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DHL motor in the pictures

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I can only see a DHL trailer, can’t see the unit.

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It was carrying bog rolls so I presume the driver (who it’s been reported walked away) has sampled some of the merchandise?
Interesting that the “power failed” on the bus just before so maybe no lights were showing?
Some of these rail replacement buses/school contract vehicles look like a VOSA windfall bonus.

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is it all sorted yet?

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Muckaway:
Some of these rail replacement buses/school contract vehicles look like a VOSA windfall bonus.

Without knowing the full facts it’s not right to speculate but I’d agree that your statement is correct in the case of a lot of rail replacement vehicles.

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Pimpdaddy:
I can only see a DHL trailer, can’t see the unit.

can now

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ox … e-30474952

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Not even one word mentioned about the lorry driver in the BBC article, which shows a completely mangled lorry cab.
However, some members of the travelling public were caught up in all the unpleasantness - but mercifully were able to transmit hashtags and tweets from the roadside, which have been dutifully copied and pasted in to the news article, to the benefit of all. Some further members of the travelling public were somewhat inconvenienced and had to pilot their motor vehicles by another route.

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yes it was a dhl unit aswell, when I passed it this morning it sent a chill up my spine, the bus had been put back on the road but the wagon cab (what was left of it) was still half way over the embankment, how the hell the wagon driver survived that I don’t know.

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The coach lost all its electrics and had no lights at all, the accident site is on a slight curve but still plenty of visability even at 1am with headlights on. Only the o/s rear of the coach was hit, nothing like as bad as i thought it would be when i passed it. Seems the DHL driver swerved at the last min unless the coach was on the verge when it was hit

This is the coach in question

No spring chicken but not ancient either

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I heard the driver of the DHL lorry survived,amazed that he did looking at the unit,i saw the trailer being towed under police ■■■■■■ yesterday around 13 30

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truckman020:
I heard the driver of the DHL lorry survived

Will his employment status though? Would writing a wagon off constitute gross misconduct?

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Can’t understand how it took so long to get the road open again, considering it happened at 12:30am?

Tipped Bicester at 8:30am and was on my way to Milton when I joined the back of the queue, all roads around Oxford either gridlocked or weight limits, ended up heading out to Burford on the A40 then going down and across via Wantage, got to Milton about 11am.

I was lucky, another driver stayed with it and was still in the queue when I left Milton at midday :confused:

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There’s been no straight answer why the A34 was closed as far back as Botley, instead of at Kennington. Surely hgvs could’ve used the A4074 down to Wallingford, A4130 to Didcot and back to the A34 beyond the accident?

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Muckaway:
There’s been no straight answer why the A34 was closed as far back as Botley, instead of at Kennington. Surely hgvs could’ve used the A4074 down to Wallingford, A4130 to Didcot and back to the A34 beyond the accident?

Problem there is no suitable diversion

The way you suggest means hundreds of trucks using the Wallingford to Didcot road which is narrow and dangerous crossing Hadden Hill

Abingdon, Steventon, Milton is unsuitable for a large amount of trucks

A420 at least is suitable for trucks to go to Swindon and onto the M4, best of a bad situation i guess.

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Muckaway:

truckman020:
I heard the driver of the DHL lorry survived

Will his employment status though? Would writing a wagon off constitute gross misconduct?

If it was his fault then yes but if it was an accident I don’t see how a company could fire him… anyway, that driver needs go and buy a lottery ticket!

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When I was coming off at around 7.30, I saw some divvies just stopped at the cones, completely flummoxed that “computer said straight on” and the diversion said otherwise. The traffic was made worse by people constantly changing lanes, one artic pulled out, crept past and then pulled back in infront of me. Gained nothing because he then sat in the right hand queue for the A420. As it’s dc onto the roundabout and the signs don’t say otherwise, I went around the lemmings and off up the A420. I came off at ■■■■■■ Hill anyway and then had a nice sleep for an hour as the labourers were stuck in the traffic. Booked waiting time too. :grimacing:

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Muckaway:

truckman020:
I heard the driver of the DHL lorry survived

Will his employment status though? Would writing a wagon off constitute gross misconduct?

doubt he will keep his job,as the law goes he did hit the coach up the rear and that is what DHL will take into account,as far as I know DHL do not support their employees