PASSENGERS on a Luton double-decker bus had a lucky escape on Tuesday when the driver was taken ill and it careered off the road into a used car forecourt.
The incident happened at around 7.30am in Leagrave Road when an Arriva number 8 bus damaged cars on the forecourt of Carland Luton.
Fortunately no one was seriously hurt in the incident.
Mo Modhu, a partner at Carland, said: “If it had been during opening hours and customers were walking around looking at cars, there’s a chance someone could have been killed.
“We came down straight away.
“Four of the cars on the forecourt were really badly damaged, they probably won’t be on the road again.
“We’ve got a fence with a big metal bar and that’s broken.”
A Beds Police spokesman confirmed that an Arriva bus had gone off the road and hit some parked cars.
Unhurt passengers on the bus were transferred to a different vehicle and carried on to their final destination.
According to police, the road only reopened shortly after 10am following recovery of the stricken bus.
Gary Sanderson, spokesman for the East of England Ambulance service, said: “A male bus driver in his 50s was taken ill suddenly and collided with a barrier.
“He was taken to the Luton & Dunstable Hospital for a check-up.
“A passenger also complained of a shoulder injury and was also taken to the L&D.”
The bus company was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.