'Cross the road at the right place'

A nine-year-old girl suffered serious leg injuries when she was struck by a double-deck bus as she tried to cross the enclosed lane in Manchester Road, Bradford. The girl had to be freed by firefighters after her right foot became trapped under one of the wheels on Wednesday.

In a similar accident in April, a woman was seen climbing over the barrier in the middle of the road just seconds before being hit by a bus. She suffered serious head and leg injuries.

Today Councillor Gordon Johnson (Con, Odsal) questioned the layout of the £12 million system which opened in February.

"I think the lanes for normal traffic should have gone down the centre of Manchester Road and buses down the outside," he said.

"But I do think buses are getting into the city quicker than they did before."

Councillor John Prestage (Lab, Keighley South), chairman of Bradford passenger consultative committee, said: "People have got to think before they cross the road. In general, everyone should make sure they cross the road at a proper crossing place. In Manchester Road it just seems to be getting to the stage where people are just crossing where they want to."

But Mr Prestage defended the guided-bus lane system.

"I think the systems working well," he said. "Only the other day I was giving a talk to people about transport and these people had been dubious about the system, but now they were supporting it. To walk 20 yards to a crossing instead of jumping over railings isn't much to ask."

Councillor David Green (Lab, Odsal) said: "I think the guided-bus lane is doing what it was hoped to be doing regarding bus services. The issue which needs looking at is one of safety. "

Khadim Hussain, operations director for First in Bradford, which owns the buses involved in both accidents, said: "We've got crossing points along sections of the guided-bus lanes and they are there for a purpose.