Translink says no-one was hurt when bus skidded off rural road this morning - adding that it was not a school bus as claimed
Translink has said that no-one was hurt in an incident involving a bus just to the south of Lough Neagh this morning.
The transport firm also stressed that the bus was not a school service, as had been claimed by both the SDLP and Sinn Fein, nor was it carrying any passengers at the time.
It happened on the Bannfoot Road near the hamlet of Derrytrasna.
The SDLP’s Upper Bann branch posted images of the accident online, alongside criticism of the Department of Infrastructure for not gritting the road.
It had said in its message on Facebook: “There have been countless calls for the infrastructure minister [Sinn Fein’s Liz Kimmins] to grit all school bus routes – a common sense request for a department to carry out.
"But time and time again requests are not taken into consideration, putting children's lives at risk.
"This latest incident happened on the Bannfoot Road, Derrytrasna – a double decker school bus skidding into a verge, and could easily have toppled over, as well as a car over a hedge.
"Thankfully no injuries but another example for the Department of Infrastructure to listen to the SDLP's call of gritting all school bus routes.”
Local Sinn Fein councillor Catherine Nelson also described it as a school bus, and said there was a car which skidded into a field too.
She said: “I sincerely hope that all passengers and drivers are safe and unharmed”, adding: “Bannfoot Road is a local rural road and does not fall within DFI Roads’ winter gritting network, which understandably prioritises main routes and higher-traffic roads.
"However, incidents like those we have seen this morning clearly demonstrate the very real dangers posed by untreated local roads during periods of ice and snow.”
The PSNI told the News Letter they had no details of either incident.
The Education Authority referred the News Letter to Translink, which in turn said it had not been a school bus after all.
“An Ulsterbus briefly became stuck on a roadside verge during a manoeuvre this morning, but was quickly resolved,” said Translink.
"There were no passengers on board, no injuries, and the bus has now returned to service.”
The Department of Infrastructure was contacted, and said: “The department delivers a winter service programme which endeavours to mitigate, as far as is reasonably possible, the effects of adverse winter weather.
"At times of ice and snow we deploy around 300 staff and a fleet of 130 gritters - working round the clock when needed - to salt around 7,000 kilometres of the main road network.
"Throughout the course of the weekend, roads on the scheduled network have been salted a number of times.
"As part of the winter service, the department salts the main through routes which carry more than 1,500 vehicles per day.
"In exceptional circumstances, roads with difficult topography carrying between 1,000 and 1,500 vehicles daily will also be salted.
"This means that 28% of the road network will be salted, directly benefiting around 80% of road users.
“We unfortunately do not have the resources to salt all rural roads, however the B2 road into and out of Derrytrasna is on the gritting schedule.
"Despite our best efforts it is important to remember that we cannot guarantee ice free roads even after salting.
"On public roads which do not meet the criteria for inclusion within the treated road network, salt bins or grit piles may be provided at difficult locations for use by the public on a self-help basis.
"During icy and wintry conditions, drivers are reminded to slow down and exercise caution when travelling, particularly when driving on untreated roads.”