Dramatic footage captures the moment passengers screamed in terror after their bus crashed at Victoria station, leaving 17 injured including the double-decker’s driver and a peer.
The collision happened on Victoria Street at around 8.20am on Thursday, the Metropolitan Police said.
Horrified pedestrians at a packed bus stop ran out of the way as the vehicle mounted the pavement and hit a barrier, amid claims the ‘out of control’ No24’s brakes may have failed.
Cross-bench peer Lord Alton of Liverpool, a former Lib Dem MP, was among those hurt and was taken to hospital with head injuries and a fracture on his spine.
His family said it will take some time for him to heal properly and thanked well-wishers.
Civil servant Lionel Khoo, 57, who was heading to work in Westminster, claimed the bus had been “going faster than usual”.
“It all happened very quickly,” he said. “Suddenly, he (the driver) veered a little bit, and then we had crashed.
“The lady sitting in front of me fell on top of me - and the glass shattered and crashed onto us. Then everyone was screaming.”
The front of the bus was damaged, with its windscreen smashed.
A trail of diesel running down Allington Street forced police to ban smoking in the area.
Emit Suker, 47, told the PA news agency: “It (the bus) was coming from Westminster – it was going really fast and came off the road.
“There were about 15, 16 people inside the bus. People were screaming – it was terrible.”
Another eyewitness said: “I heard a massive crash, came outside and there was a woman on the floor with loads of people around her.
“Lots of people from the gym had run out to help her.”
Two people were treated at the scene while 15 others, including the driver, were taken to hospital.
There are no reports of life-threatening injuries and no arrests have been made.
Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah, who leads policing in the area, said: “We understand this incident will have been very distressing to all those involved and injured and we have begun an investigation.
“We are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with information to please contact us. We welcome any dashcam or mobile phone footage.
“We are working closely with our partners to clear the scene but the road will remain closed for the next few hours so please seek alternative routes.”
Rosie Trew, Transport for London’s head of bus service delivery, said: “Our thoughts are with the people who have been injured following a bus incident at Victoria Street.
“We are working with the police and the operator, Transport UK, to urgently investigate this incident.
“This must have been a distressing incident for everyone involved and we have support available for anyone affected.”
Two pedestrians have been killed in bus crashes in Victoria in recent years.
Catherine Finnegan, 56, from County Galway, Ireland, died after she was hit by a double-decker at Victoria bus station in January 2023.
In August 2021, Melissa Burr, 32, from Rainham, Kent, was killed at the station after bus driver Olusofa Popoola accidentally accelerated into the back of a stationary bus, shunting it into her.
Victoria bus station was closed in late 2023 for works designed to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility for partially sighted passengers.
