Resident uses car to stop school bus illegally using a notoriously steep northern beaches street
An angry resident used his car to stop a school bus illegally using a notoriously steep street to prevent a ‘potential disaster’.
Manly
Don't miss out on the headlines from Manly. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Mike Baird sets record straight on political future
- Dad killed in hit-and-run was ‘most giving person ever’
State Transit was forced to apologise after one of its drivers was stopped by a member of the public from illegally driving a school bus down a notoriously steep accident black spot on the northern beaches.
The bus driver drove on to Alexander St, Collaroy Plateau, after travelling past signs banning vehicles weighting three-tonnes or more.
Resident John Mumford, who was heading up the street in his Ford Falcon, used his car to block the bus, which had just finished a school run, before it started heading downhill.
Locals have been constantly complaining to authorities that heavy vehicles weighing far more than three tonnes have been using the street as a short cut from Collaroy Plateau to Pittwater Rd.
In August last year two people were injured on Alexander St when a six-tonne Hino tipper truck, towing a 9.5 tonne bitumen rolling machine, ran out of control and jack knifed on a steep section of the road.
Six cars were written off, and another five damaged. Powerlines were brought down.
Two cars were dragged about 50m down the street by the out-of-control truck.
The driver, 32, from Guildford, and a passenger, were slightly injured.
At 4.45pm on February 27 this year Mr Mumford was so incensed by the State Transit driver’s “idiotic behaviour” that he said he was forced to act to prevent a “potential disaster”.
“I blocked the bus with my car, got out and asked him “where do you think you’re going”?
“He was shocked and told me he was lost and wanted to get to Collaroy.
“I told him to back up and turn around and go the correct route.”
Mr Mumford said about six cars had to reverse to let the bus head backwards up the hill.
He immediately fired off an emailed complaint to Transport Minister Andrew Constance urging him to order State Transit to read the driver the “Riot Act”.
“I have reported over limit trucks to Dee Why Police multiple times before, but they still come — driving up and down Alexander St — complete idiots,” Mr Mumford’s complaint said.
“I hope that State Transit recognises that a citizen did something to prevent a potential disaster,” he told the Manly Daily.
In a response to inquiries by the Manly Daily, State Transit confirmed it had investigated the incident and expected its drivers to obey the road rules.
“We are aware that one of our drivers mistakenly entered Alexander St after completing a school run in Collaroy Plateau last month,” a spokesman said.
“The bus driver became aware of the mistake shortly after turning onto Alexander St and stopped to safely reverse the bus. The driver then returned to the correct bus route. The bus wasn’t in service at the time.
“An internal investigation confirmed an error had been made and the driver was spoken to by depot management.
“State Transit apologises for the mistake.”