Summary

  • Fifteen people are taken to hospital after a bus mounts the pavement near Victoria station in central London.

  • Those injured include the bus driver, passengers who were travelling on the bus and pedestrians. None of those hurt are in a life-threatening condition, the Met Police says

  • Victoria is "eerily quiet" our reporter on the scene writes, while roads remain closed as police investigate

  • An eyewitness tells the PA news agency the bus was "going really fast and came off the road... people were screaming - it was terrible"

  • Police, ambulance and air ambulance services were called to Victoria Street in Westminster at about 08:20 BST

Live Reporting

Edited by Thamayanthi McAllister and Ben Jeffrey, with Eric Anderson reporting from Victoria

  1. Investigation continues as more than a dozen injured people treated in hospital

    Thomas Mackintosh
    Live reporter

    Emergency services at the scene on Allington Street, London, following an accident involving a double-decker bus. Fire engines, ambulances and police vehicles can be seen parked up outside the red double decker busPA Media

    An investigation is under way into what caused a double-decker bus crash in central London in which 17 people were injured.

    It happened at 08:20 on Victoria Street in the borough of Westminster and near London Victoria railway station - one of the busiest in the country.

    Eyewitnesses described hearing a "massive bang" as they saw the Route 24 bus service, bound for Hampstead Heath, turn a corner.

    Police cordons remain in place in the street, which my colleague Eric Anderson describes as being eerily quiet.

    The bus driver was among 15 people who were taken to hospital to be treated for injuries, while the London Ambulance Service said two more people were assessed and discharged at the scene.

    No arrests have been made and the Met Police has made an appeal for dashcam and mobile phone footage to help with its investigation.

    We will be wrapping up our coverage shortly, but for the latest on the crash head here to our main story.

  2. Where did the crash happen?

    a map of the crash site, which shows it happened on the corner between Victoria Street and Allington Street

    The bus crashed on the corner of Victoria Street and Allington Street in central London.

    It's not far from Victoria Station.

  3. 'In shock and bleeding'

    James Kelly
    BBC News

    a crowd gathers at the crash site, two men are seen helping another manNathan Cefai

    One woman had completely collapsed, and we had to carry her off. She was in a state of shock with her nose bleeding, she was completely out of it. Another man and woman had blood all over their faces. Luckily, there was a civilian doctor there who was extremely helpful.

    The driver used my water bottle to get the blood off his face. He was mainly concerned with the passengers and seemed as shocked as everyone else. His leg was in a lot of pain, and he was asking if we’d got everyone off the bus - he was very panicked. We got everyone off then the ambulance crews and police took over. It was a bit crazy. I hope everyone is OK.

    Nathan Cefai, Eyewitness

  4. 'We heard a massive bang and ran over to help'

    James Kelly
    BBC News

    Nathan, a 28-year-old man, poses for a selfieNathan Cefai

    Nathan Cefai was walking to work when he spotted the bus, which had a “huge amount of black smoke” coming from its rear.

    He said it picked up speed, turned a corner and then he heard “a massive bang”.

    As I crossed the road there was a bus right in front of me. I thought the exhaust was dodgy because there was a huge amount of black smoke coming out of the back. The bus turned the corner and was moving really fast. I heard a massive bang.

    I ran over with some other people. People were getting out of the bus from the back. People were crying, people were on the floor in the middle of the bus. We forced the middle door open and were helping people off the bus.

    Nathan Cefai, Eyewitness

  5. Bus route passes through key central London landmarks

    The bus involved is the Route 24 which is a 24-hour service running from Pimlico to Hampstead Heath,

    Along the route it passes by various central London landmarks and includes stops at Trafalgar Square, Westminster and Victoria station.

    Rosie Trew, the head of Transport for London (TfL) bus service delivery, says the route is operated by Transport UK.

  6. Commotion in the rush-hour commute

    Freddy Tennyson
    BBC London

    reporter facing camera in front of the crash scene

    Behind me you can see the spot where the bus left the road and crashed into a black barrier.

    Firefighters are currently working to clear some of the debris from the scene.

    Emergency services say they were called at around 08:20 this morning - right in the middle of the rush-hour commute.

    Eyewitnesses say they saw the bus travelling at high speed before it veered off the road.

    Several pedestrians and passengers were injured as well as the driver, who was taken to hospital.

    Fortunately, there are no reports of fatalities.

    Meanwhile, police are urging people nearby not to smoke as the crash has left a trail of diesel across the street.

    Officers are calling for witnesses to come forward.

  7. Watch: The scene on Victoria Street

    A bus driver is taken to hospital after a bus mounts the pavement near Victoria Station

  8. Roads to remain closed as police appeal for dashcam and phone footage

    The Metropolitan Police confirms there have been no arrests as officers continue to investigate.

    Det Ch Supt Christina Jessah, who leads policing in the Victoria area, adds: “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.”

  9. At the scene

    Here are some images showing the aftermath of the crash, taken by our reporter.

    Damage is clearly visible to the bus's windscreen and debris can be seen lying on the street.

    Emergency crews remain at the scene.

    red London bus seems to be on pavement, with smashed windscreen and police cordon
    a close-up of the bus's smashed windscreen and debris on the street. people in hi-vis yellow jackets are stood in the background
    emergency crews stand behind a cordon in the street

  10. Met Police say 17 injured and bus driver among 15 in hospital
    Breaking

    In the last few moments the Metropolitan Police has released an update to say that 17 people, some pedestrians and some passengers on the bus, are understood to have been injured.

    The Met Police says: "Two people were treated at the scene while 15 were taken to and remain in hospital.

    "This includes the driver of the bus. There were no life-threatening injuries reported."

  11. Victoria is 'eerily quiet for an area which is usually very busy'

    Eric Anderson
    Reporting from Victoria

    a red London bus with a damaged windscreen following the crash

    I have just arrived outside Victoria station and it has started to rain quite heavily now.

    It is eerily quiet for what is usually an exceptionally busy part of the capital outside London Victoria station.

    The bus is empty and looks like it has crashed up against a large black barrier - the bottom windscreen is completely smashed from the bottom up.

    The back of the vehicle has been opened up.

    It does not seem to have any power, there are no lights flickering and emergency services are still on the scene - but not as active as they would have been first thing this morning.

    I can see some people are being let back into their places of business, but cordons remain in place.

  12. Met Police statement in full as driver taken to hospital

    Let's bring you up to date with the latest from the Metropolitan Police who have confirmed the collision happened on Victoria Street at about 08:20 BST.

    "Several pedestrians and passengers on the bus are understood to be injured and are in the process of being transported to hospital, we await further information," the Met said in a statement.

    "There are no reported fatalities.

    "The driver of the bus has been taken to hospital. We await an update on his condition.

    "At this early stage in the investigation, no arrests have been made. The road remains closed. All vehicles are diverted at this time."

  13. Victoria bus crash: What we know so far

    • A bus driver has been taken to hospital after a collision in central London
    • Several passengers and pedestrians are understood to have been injured
    • The Met Police, the London Ambulance Service (LAS) and London's Air Ambulance were called to Victoria Street in Westminster at about 08:20 BST
    • There are no reported fatalities, the Met says

    More details are still coming in - we'll keep you up to date.

  14. Two killed in Victoria bus crashes in recent years

    Melissa Burr, 32, has blonde hair and spectacles as she looks towards the camera. Catherine Finnegan, 56, is sat upright smiling towards a camera in a black and white photoMet Police

    Melissa Burr, 32, and Catherine Finnegan, 56, died in separate incidents outside Victoria Station

    The Met Police say there are no reported fatalities from today's incident, but two people have been killed in bus crashes in Victoria in recent years.

    Catherine Finnegan, 56, died after she was hit by a double-decker bus last January, and Melissa Burr, 32, died in August 2021 after a bus driver mistakenly pressed the accelerator pedal rather than the brake.

    Burr was using a pedestrian walkway at the bus station and crossed towards the door of a 507 bus parked at its stop before she was hit.

    Bus driver Olusofa Popoola, of Peckham, admitted causing death by careless driving and was sentenced at the Old Bailey to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

  15. Don't smoke nearby, police say after diesel spill

    A trail of diesel running down Allington Street, in Victoria, has forced police to ban smoking in the area.

  16. People were screaming, it was terrible - eyewitness

    Eyewitness Emit Suker tells the PA news agency 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.

    "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."

  17. Transport for London 'urgently investigating' incident

    We've just had a statement from Transport for London, who say they are working with the police and the operator Transport UK "to urgently investigate this incident".

    TfL’s head of bus service delivery, says: “Our thoughts are with the people who have been injured following a bus incident at Victoria Street.

    "This must have been a distressing incident for everyone involved and we have support available for anyone affected.”

  18. Photos show smashed windscreen and emergency services at scene

    We've just had these latest photos from the scene of the collision, which show the front of the double-decker number 24 bus with the windscreen smashed:

    Emergency services at the scene of the bus crashPA Media
    Emergency services at the scene of the bus crashPA Media
    Emergency services at the scene of the bus crashPA Media

  19. Pedestrians injured in bus collision in Victoria
    Breaking

    A bus driver has been taken to hospital after a collision in central London in which several passengers and pedestrians are understood to have been injured.

    We'll bring you more on this story shortly.