A woman is to sue National Express after she became trapped in the doors of a bendy bus and was dragged 90 FEET along the road.
Traumatised Janet Lott, 64, became stuck in the doors with her head, legs and arms left with severe bruising to her arms and legs and unable to walk without the aid of a stick.
She was dragged 90ft (27m) along a busy road with her legs and arms hanging out of the bus before the driver realised what was happening and stopped.
Grandmother-of-two Janet was stunned when the driver ‘apologised’, but refused to help her and sped off leaving her bleeding by the side of the road.
Janet, a retired BT customer service worker from Toll Bar End, Coventry, said: ”I was sitting near the rear doors so those opened and I was halfway through when all of a sudden the doors just closed.
”I desperately tried to free myself as the driver drove off. I was absolutely terrified.
”I thought I was going to be dragged along the road and killed. It must have been dragged around 90ft.
”All I could see was the pavement moving faster and faster beneath my feet. I eventually managed to wrench myself free. My shopping was all over the grass verge and one bad was still stuck in the door.
”The bus carried on going until it stopped in front of me. I was in a state of shock. I was just getting to my feet as the driver reached me and all he said was ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t see you getting off.’
”He then ran back to the bus and drove off. He seemed in a mad hurry and he just abandoned me.
”There were no passesby or anyone to help me so I picked up my shopping scattered all along the grass verge and staggered home.”
Janet ordeal started when she boarded the number 21 bus at Pool Meadow in Coventry at 10.40am on April 19 after a shopping trip in the city.
When she reached her stop several other passengers got off using two other doors nearer the driver.
But when Janet tried to disembark using the door at the rear of the bus it slammed shut before she could get off.
She is now suing bus company National Express, which runs the controversial bendy buses in Coventry, and is calling for them to be banned.
She said: ”Those bendy buses are a death trap. They shouldn’t be on the road because somebody could get killed.
”If it had happened to someone older and less active it could have been much worse.
”It has put me off using buses. I don’t think I will get on one again. They are just dangerous. For the driver to say he didn’t see me is ridiculous.”
Janet, a keen walker, now relies on her friends to bring her shopping and has had to postpone plans to emigrate to New Zealand to be closer to her son and two granddaughters.
She said: ”Even a week later my knee is very painful. I can barely walk. I should be given some compensation for this.
”My right elbow and right leg have severe bruises the size of two tennis balls.”
National Express has apologised for the accident.
A spokesman said: ”We’d like to apologise to Miss Lott for any distress caused and have launched a full investigation into the incident.”
