A PASSENGER has this morning told of being flung around as a rail coach was hit by a lorry on the A34.

Five people were taken to hospital after the DHL lorry hit the JD Travel coach – which was running a replacement railo service from Oxford to Didcot – on the side of the A34 near Drayton at about 12.30am today.

One patient is in a serious condition after breaking bones, according to police, another two have serious injuries and two have minor injuries.

The A34 southbound between Botley and Milton was closed for several hours but Thames Valley Police have now said both lanes have now re-opened. 

Oxford Bus Company said its services would still be delayed while congestion cleared.

Adam Graves, 21, was one of the passengers on board the coach.

The IT consultant from Didcot said: “We were just outside Drayton when the power went out on the bus and the driver pulled over. We just coasted over to the side of the road.

“We thought maybe the driver needed to go to the toilet but he told us the power was out.

“We were there for about a minute or two and some people got out to smoke.

“About 20 or 25 of us were left on the bus. It had been pretty full with people heading home.

“Most of us were not wearing a seatbelt and everyone got thrown around. Some people were on the phone and they went flying.

“Some people managed to climb out of the front but a lot of us clambered through the back were the windows were all smashed everywhere.

“Some of the people outside who were smoking got clipped when the bus fell into the ditch.”

Some of the passengers had been to see American band Taking Back Sunday Oxford's O2 Academy. Tonight the band told the Oxford Mail they hoped the injured had a speedy recovery.

It is believed there were about 50 people on board the coach.

Oxford Mail:

The other passengers who didn't need hospital treatment were taken to Abingdon police station. 

Oxford Mail:

Diversions are in place via the A420, A338 to Wantage, A417 eastbound and A4130 northbound via Milton Hill. 

Highways Agency spokesman James Wright said southbound traffic was still suffering delays of an hour. 

He said: "At the moment this is still a police-led incident and drivers are experiencing severe delays. Traffic is queuing back to the A44.

"Recovery work is under way but because of the coach’s position it is quite a complicated job.

"Once that is done we will check the road for carriageway damage and any repair work we can do later we be done then."

Our reporter on the scene Matt Oliver said traffic through Abingdon has been severely hampered.

Both southbound and westbound cars travelling in and around Abingdon are experiencing long delays.

If you have any information please call our newsdesk on 01865 425500. If you have any pictures, please email our picturedesk.

 

 

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