Busway derailment down to speeding

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An inquiry into the ‘derailment’ of a bus on the Cambridge Busway has concluded that the cause was excessive speed. The Stagecoach East Volvo B8RLE was travelling from Addenbrookes Hospital to RAF Wyton on February 22nd this year. It left the Busway near Trumpington and ended up on an embankment.
The inquiry said that the bus was travelling at 53mph in an area with a speed limit of 30mph. The bus was at an intersection between guided sections and is reported to have been too far over to the left when it entered the guideway, shearing off the guidewheel, which the report says has “a catastrophic effect on the bus’ guidance”. The bus then mounted the guideway, crossed over a cycle and pathway and ended up on the embankment. Both bus and guideway were damaged.
Following a separate enquiry by Stagecoach the driver was dismissed.
The report into the incident concludes that it was “unlikely the bus was under the driver’s control adding the driver’s “excessive speed” indicated he was either “inattentive or overconfident.”

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