REAR-SEAT SAFETY ON SINGLE-DECKERS
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IMPORTANT questions relating to the safety of passengers in buses operated by Manchester Corporation were asked by the Manchester City Coroner at an inquest, last week, on a woman who was thrown out of a bus when it was in collision with another vehicle. It was stated that the bus concerned in the accident was a single-decker which had been in service for four-and-a-halt years. The doorway of the bus was 2 ft. 8 ins. wide.
The Coroner : "I notice that the back seat of the bus is almost flush with the edge of the doorway?" ".There is only 2 ins. difference."
" In the more recent types of vehicle, are more precautions taken to prevent passengers from falling out? " " Yes, additional rails are provided. A bar is placed around the seat from the edge of the doorway, to a metal column running from roof to floor." " Do you think it would be an improvement if a safety bar were hooked across the doorway when a bus
was in motion?" " It could be provided, but I think the additional precautions now being made are enough."
It was said that the corporation owned 22 buses, identical with the one concerned in the accident, and 54 buses of earlier manufacture. It was the corporation's intention to alter all buses requiring an additional safety rail as quickly as possible. The 23 buses referred to had covered 4,500,000 miles without a single accident of tnat kind. The bus concerned had travelled 210,000 miles.
The Coroner " There seems little doubt that when the collision occurred, this young woman was shot•out of the bus doorway like a stone. from a catapult." The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.