Eight people have been taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary after a bus and a lorry collided in Newcastle city centre. The incident took place on Westgate Road shortly before 10.15am and involved a Stagecoach bus and a delivery vehicle.
Emergency response
The emergency services attended and a significant presence was seen from the police, fire and rescue and ambulance services. The road was closed for a number of hours with traffic being diverted, but reopened at around 1pm.
North East Ambulance Service bosses confirmed a total of eight people had been taken to hospital - details of their condition remains unknown at this stage. Stagecoach runs the bus service in question and bosses there said thoughts are with those affected.
Statements from services
A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We were called to a road traffic incident on Westgate Road in Newcastle on Tuesday 21 July at 10:20am. We dispatched four ambulance crews, one specialist paramedic and one clinical team leader to the incident. Eight patients were taken to RVI hospital for further treatment and a number of people were treated and discharged on scene."
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Just after 10.15am today (Tuesday), we received a report of a two-vehicle collision on Westgate Road in Newcastle. It was reported a bus has collided with a lorry. Emergency services are currently on scene. Motorists are advised to find alternate routes.”
A Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We can confirm that earlier this morning, three fire appliances attended an incident in Newcastle city centre. The emergency call was received by our Fire Control Team at 10:17 and three crews were dispatched from Byker Community Fire Station and Hebburn Tri Station to Westgate Road in Newcastle. The incident was a road traffic collision involving a double-decker bus and a heavy goods vehicle. Our firefighters helped make both vehicles safe and no persons were reported to be trapped. Blue light colleagues from Northumbria Police and the North East Ambulance Service were also in attendance with paramedics treating a number of people for what are believed to be minor injuries. Crews left the scene at 10:40."
A Stagecoach spokesperson said: "Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident. We are aware of a collision involving one of our buses on Westgate Road in Newcastle this morning, and our immediate priority is the welfare of our customers, our driver and everyone else involved. We are working closely with the emergency services and are assisting the police with their investigation. As this is an ongoing incident, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage."
