Passengers ordered off Wilts and Dorset bus in Westbourne after coffee spilt

NOT SO FAST: Robert Readman was stopped from getting on a Wilts and Dorset bus after a lady spilt her coffee – the driver ordered everyone off the vehicle saying it was a safety hazard. Picture: Sally Adams
NOT SO FAST: Robert Readman was stopped from getting on a Wilts and Dorset bus after a lady spilt her coffee – the driver ordered everyone off the vehicle saying it was a safety hazard. Picture: Sally Adams
This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald.

A PASSENGER said a bus driver ordered his vehicle to be cleared after a lady spilt some coffee in a case of “health and safety gone mad”.

Robert Readman from Bournemouth was trying to board the Wilts and Dorset M2 service near Iceland in Westbourne.

He said the young lady in front of him spilt around one third of a cup of coffee on the left hand site of the passenger entrance.

Mr Readman, 71, a travel agent, said: “The bus driver told everyone ‘we can’t go, it’s too dangerous’. There were about 10 people on board.

“He shut the doors, pulled the bus to the kerb and ordered everybody off and phoned to somebody at the depot to come and clean it.

“The ridiculous thing was the amount spilt was far less water than you would get when people are getting on and off in the rain.

“I just thought it was health and safety gone mad. I’ve seen worse spills from Coke cans rolling around the floor by the seats.”

The incident happened around 12.30pm on Tuesday, February 28.

A Wilts and Dorset spokesman said: “We will carry out an internal enquiry regarding the incident.

“We would like to apologise to the inconvenienced passengers should it be found that the driver had over reacted to any perceived health and safety threat.”

Get involved
with the news

Send your news & photos