Bus operator Stagecoach has responded to concerns over an “alarming” series of fires involving its vehicles in Tayside and Fife.
Crews were called to tackle a blaze on a double-decker Stagecoach East Scotland service near Crossgates in Fife on Monday.
Pictures from the scene showed the bus engulfed with flames and black smoke pouring from the vehicle.
The Courier has reported on at least 10 such bus fires across Dundee, Angus, Perth and Kinross and Fife in the last four years involving both public transport operators and private firms.
Including Monday’s incident, eight have involved a Stagecoach bus.
The other incidents were:
- March 2022: Pupils had a lucky escape after the Stagecoach bus taking them to school in Perth burst into flames on the A90 between Inchture and Errol. No one was injured but the driver was praised for getting youngsters off safely.
- June 2021: A Stagecoach passenger bus was damaged in a fire on the M90, close to Bridge of Earn.
- May 2021: A single-decker Stagecoach bus was destroyed by fire in Dunfermline.
- October 2020: The driver of a Stagecoach bus called emergency services after noticing smoke pouring out the back of his vehicle between Kinglassie and Glenrothes. Passengers were evacuated but no one was injured.
- December 2019:Â Passengers were also evacuated after a dramatic blaze on board a single-decker Stagecoach service on the A92 near Arbroath.
- January 2019: The engine on a Stagecoach bus caught fire in Dundee city centre.
- November 2018: Stagecoach vowed to investigate a blaze on board a single-decker bus that closed a road in Rosyth.
Fife councillor Dave Dempsey, who saw the aftermath of Monday’s fire, says he is “alarmed” by the number of incidents.
He said: “I saw the damage caused shortly after the fire was put out and I’m thankful nobody was injured in the incident.
“I welcome the fact that a regulatory body such as the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has now found it fit to conduct a Scotland-wide investigation into the causes of such fires.
“Passenger and employee safety has to be paramount and I would urge all bus operators to work with the DVSA and comply with the regulations and recommendations that will come from the investigation.”
Stagecoach, which runs services across the UK but has its headquarters in Perth, insists bus fires are “relatively rare” but that safety is its “absolute priority”.
A spokesperson said: “The safety of our customers, our employees and other road users is our absolute priority.
Stagecoach says fires are ‘relatively rare’
“Thermal incidents of varying natures can affect any vehicle type, including cars, vans and heavy goods vehicles, as well as buses, regardless of the operator involved.
“In the context of the millions of miles operated by buses across the UK every day, incidents in the sector are relatively rare.
“Nevertheless, as a responsible company, we are committed to working openly and constructively with the DVSA, vehicle manufacturers, other operators and the sector trade bodies, to help better understand the root causes of any incidents and reduce their occurrence.”
DVSA bus fires probe nears completion
Other incidents reported in Tayside and Fife in recent years included a blaze on board a First coach while transporting school pupils to Dunfermline High School in June 2021, and a private coach that caught fire on the A9 with St Johnstone supporters on board last November.
A series of other fires have also been reported elsewhere in Scotland.
That has prompted the UK Government-run DVSA to launch its own investigation covering all operators.
A spokesperson told The Courier: “DVSA’s priority is to protect everyone from unsafe drivers and vehicles.
“We are undertaking a study to better understand the causes of bus fires.
“The process of analysing our findings to help provide insight on how to reduce the occurrence of bus fires is continuing.
“Once complete, we plan to share the results of our investigation with the industry in the near future.”
