Three Children Hospitalised After School Bus Roof Is Torn Off in Railway Bridge Crash

Three children have been taken to hospital after a school bus crashed into a railway bridge in Newport, Wales, tearing off much of the vehicle’s roof and leaving several pupils injured.

The crash occurred on Tuesday morning, October 20, as the bus was transporting pupils to Ysgol Gyfun Gwent Is Coed, a Welsh-medium secondary school located on Duffryn Way in Newport.

Gwent Police said officers received a report of the incident on Tregare Street at approximately 7:45am British Summer Time (BST).

Although three children sustained injuries, police said their conditions were not believed to be life-threatening. The pupils were taken to hospital for medical attention as emergency services responded to the scene.

Crews from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and the Welsh Ambulance Service attended the incident. Authorities temporarily closed the affected road and introduced diversions while emergency workers assisted the injured children and dealt with the damaged bus.

The road was later reopened after the emergency operation.

The extent of the damage became clearer through accounts from parents and photographs of the bus, which showed that a substantial section of its upper structure had been ripped away.

Transport for Wales said the vehicle struck a railway bridge at Maindee West, between Newport and Cwmbran.

Jo Townsend, whose 13-year-old son, Gruff, was among the pupils taken to hospital, described the frightening experience of learning that her child had been involved in the crash.

She said she became frantic after receiving the news and rushed to reach her son at the scene.

“I was worried, frantic. I went under the tape, I was getting to my son,” Townsend said, explaining how the incident had turned an ordinary school morning into a frightening ordeal for her family.

She added that parents naturally expect their children to arrive at school safely and rarely imagine that such an incident could happen during their daily journey.

Townsend said her son had been seated at the rear of the upper deck, which she believed was among the worst places to be when the bus struck the bridge.

According to her account, much of the top of the vehicle came off during the collision, exposing the seriousness of the impact.

Gruff reportedly called his mother shortly after the crash, struggling to process what had happened.

“He said, ‘I can’t believe it, Mum’. He was tripping over his words. He was shocked,” she said.

The teenager sustained scratches and bumps on his back. Townsend also said he had been struck on the head by a pole during the collision, although she reported that he was receiving treatment for his injuries.

Her son’s account captured the confusion inside the bus as the crash unfolded. He reportedly described the interior suddenly going dark, lights flickering and passengers screaming as metal scraped against metal.

Despite the frightening experience, Townsend said her son had been fortunate to escape more serious injuries.

She expressed relief that his injuries were limited to bumps and scratches, although the family had been left shaken by the incident.

The emergency response also affected a nearby childcare facility, Lullabyz nursery. Townsend said the nursery moved its children to another location so paramedics could use the premises to treat those injured in the crash.

The damaged bus remained at the scene during the morning response, but it had been removed by midday. The torn-off roof was recovered before the vehicle was cleared.

Although there did not appear to be visible damage to the railway bridge, the bus itself showed significant structural damage. The rear section of its upper floor had bent backwards, illustrating the force of the collision.

The incident also disrupted rail services during the morning rush hour, affecting commuters travelling through Newport.

Transport for Wales reported delays and cancellations in both directions between Newport and Hereford for much of Tuesday morning, leaving passengers facing interruptions to their journeys.

Newport council said it was working closely with emergency services following the crash. The authority said its immediate priority was to ensure the well-being of everyone involved.

The incident left families waiting for updates on the affected pupils while emergency responders dealt with the aftermath of the collision.

Police said the children’s injuries were not considered life-threatening, offering some reassurance to parents as the injured pupils received medical attention.

The circumstances surrounding the collision had not been fully detailed in the available account, and no further information about its cause was provided.