Woman thrown down bus stairs wants safety cameras fitted (From Watford Observer)

'I ended up curled up at bottom of the bus stairs'

10:41am Friday 27th April 2012 in News By Mike Wright , Chief Reporter

An Abbots Langley woman who was thrown down a flight of bus steps when the suddenly driver pulled away is calling on the operating company to fit cameras to prevent similar accidents in future.

Caroline Bloomer was returning on the 142 bus from a day out in London on Saturday afternoon when the incident happened.

When the bus stopped, she was the last to get off at Watford Junction and was halfway down the stairs when the driver closed the doors and pulled away.

Mrs Bloomer, a part-time public relations manager of Gallows Lane Hill, said she was then hurled down some steps and screamed.

Her screams alerted the driver, who slammed on the brakes – which threw her down the rest of the stairs.

“There were a lot of people on the bus and I was at the end, I was the last person,” she said. “It started moving and then did an emergency stop.

“I ended up curled up at the bottom of the stairs. I was scared, it was petrifying. I thought I was going to die.”

Mrs Bloomer’s husband David had already left the bus when she fell and rushed back when he realised what had happened.

Police and paramedics were called to look over Mrs Bloomer after the accident. She has been left with bruises and aches from the fall, but said she felt lucky not to have broken anything.

Mrs Bloomer said the incident had also left her in shock and she had burst into tears after the event.

Since Sunday, she has taken up the case with the bus operators Arriva as she is determined it should not happen again.

“I don’t think they have taken enough care and I don’t think they have enough equipment,” said Mrs Bloomer “Arriva should have a proper camera and monitor for the driver to look at.

“Thank God I was not carrying a baby.”

A spokesman for Arriva said: “The driver of the bus has reported the incident and a full investigation has been started. As soon as the results of that investigation are known, we will be back in contact with Ms Bloomer.”