AN investigation is under way after a Warrington’s Own Buses vehicle was involved in a major oil spillage on the M62.
The local bus company who run regular services across the town has confirmed an investigation has been launched following the serious incident that took place on January 30 and saw a stretch of the motorway closed for a day.
Traffic was held on the M62 westbound on junction 7 A57 Warrington Road after reports of debris on the road at approximately 8am on the morning of the incident.
It was reported by National Highways that the closure and delays were due to an incident where a prop shaft located on the underside of a Warrington’s Own bus had detached from the moving vehicle leaving debris scattered along the carriageway.
This already posing a risk to motorist travelling on the stretch then caused a further incident which saw multiple vehicles collide with the debris on the road, leading to a large oil spillage on the motorway.
A statement issued by National Highways on the day of the accident said: “The M62 in Merseyside remains closed westbound between Junction 7, Rainhill & Junction 6 M57 due to a large oil spillage caused by a number of vehicles hitting a prop shaft which became detached from a bus.
“Clear-up works will be ongoing for some time. There's an hour delay on approach.”
Mile-long queues could be seen along the M62 westbound from junction 7 where the incidents occurred, all the way through to junction 9, Winwick.
And the motorway was closed for the most part of the day, delaying commuters both in the morning and afternoon.
A concerned resident, John Smith, highlighted the danger that could have been posed to road users following the mechanical fault experienced by the bus.
“This was caused by a Warrington’s Own Buses bus after a prop shaft fell off and damaged four vehicles. It put people’s lives at risk again.
“Maintenance has not improved,” he stated.
The council has confirmed an investigation is under way to look into the incident and the cause of it.
A spokesperson for Warrington’s Own Buses said: "We are aware of an incident involving one of our buses on January 30, which is being investigated.
"The bus had passed its MOT the previous month. Engineering and safety standards are of the greatest importance and are independently assessed by external assessors on a routine basis."
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