MSP voices concern over second bus fire on Aberdeenshire road
The A93 near Banchory was closed in both directions on Thursday morning
Last updated 30th Oct 2023
A bus burst into flames on a major Aberdeenshire road during rush hour on Monday morning.
Emergency services were called to the A93 near Portach, Banchory at around 8.10am after the Stagecoach bus caught fire.
It is understood both passengers on board were evacuated and there are no reported injuries.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “At 8.10am on Monday, October 30 we were alerted to reports of a bus on fire at the A93 near to Potarch, Banchory.
“Operations Control mobilised three fire appliances and firefighters extinguished a fire affecting one bus.
“There were no reported casualties and crews left the scene after ensuring the area was made safe.”
It's the second bus in recent months to be engulfed in flames on the Aberdeenshire road.
Aberdeenshire West MSP said the incidents are extremely concerning and has called on Stagecoach to investigate their vehicles in a statement.
He said: "This is a deeply alarming incident and I’m glad no one was hurt in the bus fire.
“I’m extremely concerned that this is the second Stagecoach bus fire of its kind in the Banchory area in recent months after a double decker burst into flames near Crathes.
“Stagecoach must address these issues transparently and conduct a thorough investigation to ensure each and every one of their vehicles have maximum fire safety protections.
“These fires are clearly causing concern among passengers who need to be assured that these faults are being resolved by the company.”
A Stagecoach North Scotland spokesperson said: “We can confirm one of our vehicles was involved in an incident between Kincardine O'Neil and Potarch this morning.
"The two passengers on board were safely evacuated from the vehicle and transferred to an alternative service to get to their destination.
"As the country's biggest bus operator, we operate almost 400 million vehicle miles across the UK every year. The safety of our customers, employees and other road users is our absolute priority and close to all journeys get customers to their destination without incident.
“We take any incident of this nature extremely seriously and always carry out an in-depth investigation. This includes determining the root cause and immediately taking any corrective action needed."