Pedestrian Injured When Hit By Bus

By EASTON, Paul

A MAN suffered head injuries when he became the latest pedestrian hit by a bus in central Wellington.

He was taken to Wellington Hospital after the accident, which happened about 1.30pm yesterday in Customhouse Quay, near the area where several pedestrians have been hit by buses in recent years.

His injuries were not thought to be serious.

A man painting a nearby store said he saw the pedestrian step out in front of a No 14 bus, which was travelling south down Customhouse Quay toward Willis St.

The driver slammed on his brakes, but had no chance of stopping, he said.

“The guy stepped out and got hit. There was a terrific crack and he flew through the air and on to the ground.

“I know first aid, so I rushed over, but there was already a nurse there and she said, ‘I’ve got it’,” the witness said.

The impact left a large crack on the bus windscreen, and skid marks could be seen behind its rear wheels.

Sergeant Matthew Morris said early indications were the driver was not to blame, but the police investigation would continue.

He said the man had suffered a deep cut in his head.

Traffic in Lambton Quay and parts of Willis St was slowed to 30kmh in June last year after a spate of pedestrian accidents, including one in which a woman was killed in 2004.

But another witness to yesterday’s accident, Kerry Wood, said he often saw buses travelling well above that limit down Willis St.

The Stagecoach on-road operations manager, John Hodgson, said the bus driver had been relieved of driving duties and would receive counselling.

Mr Hodgson said he was interested in placing barriers or bollards along parts of the footpath to warn pedestrians of traffic, something he first raised in January this year after a similar accident.

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