More calls are being made for a probe into bus fires after the latest blaze involving a Stagecoach vehicle in Tayside and Fife.
A double-decker was destroyed after catching fire on Strathern Road in Broughty Ferry on Wednesday.
No one was injured, but it is at least the ninth fire on a Stagecoach bus The Courier has reported on since November 2018.
A series of other fires have affected Stagecoach buses across the region, including a blaze on the A90 involving schoolchildren.
Following Wednesday’s fire – where locals heard explosions and large plumes of black smoke could be seen from miles around – The Courier put a series of questions to Stagecoach about the safety of its buses.
We asked:
- Can you confirm what caused the most recent bus fire in Broughty Ferry?
- We have reported on at least nine separate Stagecoach bus fires in the last five years. Were all these fires caused by the same issue?
- Does Stagecoach have a problem with bus fires, compared to other operators?
- What is Stagecoach doing to prevent fires from starting on its buses?
- What would you say to passengers worried about getting on a Stagecoach bus due to recent fires?
- Are Stagecoach buses safe?
- What is the average age of your fleet in Tayside and Fife?
Stagecoach responds to Broughty Ferry bus fire questions
Stagecoach declined to answer the questions individually.
Instead, the company offered a statement and background on the latest incident.
The company insists all the fires are not linked as they were caused by different component failures, though it has not elaborated on what these failures were.
A Stagecoach East Scotland spokesperson said: “As the country’s biggest bus operator, we operate almost 400 million vehicle miles across the UK every year.
“The safety of our customers, employees and other road users is our absolute priority and close to all journeys get customers to their destination without incident.
“We take any incident of this nature extremely seriously and always carry out an in-depth investigation.
“This includes determining the root cause and immediately taking any corrective action needed.”
Three months ago, Stagecoach said it had changed its maintenance procedures as a result of the school bus fire on the A90 in March the previous year.
It also said it was “working with the manufacture to reduce the operational stress on these engines” after a “component failure”.
Stagecoach bus fires ‘deeply concerning’
Broughty Ferry councillor Pete Shears is among those calling for an investigation.
He said: “I wasn’t aware there were nine instances of Stagecoach fires in five years and this is deeply concerning.
“Investigations must take place as to why these are occurring so regularly before a far more serious incident takes place.
“Passenger and driver safety should be Stagecoach’s number one priority.”
Fellow Broughty Ferry councillor Craig Duncan: “I am quite a regular bus user and this is not the first time a bus has gone on fire in these parts.
“If we’re going to get people to use public transport, it needs to be affordable, reliable and safe.
“Passenger safety has to come first.”
The DVSA – which oversees vehicle standards in the UK – is currently carrying out an investigation looking into causes of bus fires throughout the country.
