A BUS driver has been fined and had five points put on his licence after crashing into a hospital emergency unit.
John Whitehead, of Renfrew Road, Ipswich, appeared at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention.
The First Eastern Counties driver faced the charge after his bus smashed into the canopy outside Ipswich Hospital’s Garrett Anderson building on May 19. Whitehead was ordered to pay a �75 fine, �15 victim surcharge and the �85 court costs. Five points were also put on his licence.
First Eastern Counties held its own investigation following the incident but was unable to comment on its findings due to data protection.
The incident happened at about 5.50pm when Whitehead pulled his double-decker bus into the area with the intention of dropping passengers off at the hospital.
The bus struck the building’s canopy causing glass and metal debris to fall on to the top deck of the bus and the surrounding area. Two teenagers were forced to duck out the way of the canopy to escape serious injury.
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