A bus driver who forgot he was driving a double decker as he tried to go under a low bridge – while on his mobile phone – has kept his licence.
Ross Ralph was filmed on the Stagecoach CCTV system talking on his mobile phone for 12 seconds as the 13ft bus ploughed into the 11ft railway bridge parapet earlier this year.
A passenger on the upper deck miraculously escaped uninjured as the roof crumpled under the impact, causing £47,000 worth of damage to the vehicle.
Yesterday, Ralph admitted driving carelessly while talking on his phone when he appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court.
And his solicitor insisted it was a “case of inattention” – as the 35-year-old would normally have been driving a single decker on the route from Croy to Inverness.
The incident happened on Culloden Road, near Balloch, on April 4 this year.
Ralph, of 53 Bruce Avenue, Inverness, was sacked afterwards.
Fiscal depute Laura Ryan told the court the bridge had a height restriction of 11ft 3in and the bus was 13ft high.
She said: “A passenger was upstairs on the bus as it approached the bridge and was surprised because it was normally a single decker on that route.
“The CCTV on the bus filmed Ross Ralph with headphones on and talking on his mobile phone for 12 seconds beforehand and he only reacted after the collision.
“He was obviously distracted by being on his mobile phone at the time. Fortunately no-one was injured. There were stickers on the bus reminding the driver of the height of the vehicle.”
Defence lawyer John MacColl said his client had been dismissed by Stagecoach as a result of the incident, but that he had since secured other employment as a driver.
“He has been driving since 1988 without coming to the attention of the police or having any accidents,” he said.
“He had been working that day doing the Cromarty route on the double decker bus and had done two journeys before taking over the Croy route.
“No-one at Stagecoach told him to change vehicle.
“Normally he would have been driving a single decker on that route and in his own mind he was driving a vehicle of that type.
“It was a case of inattention on his part.”
Sheriff Margaret Neilson fined Ralph £500 and imposed eight penalty points on his licence.
Last night, a spokeswoman for Stagecoach North Scotland said: “The driver involved in this incident no longer works for the company.
“Passenger safety is our absolute priority and we are thankful there were no injuries as a result of this incident.”
