THE driver of a school bus that crashed into a railway bridge while carrying dozens of students is to appear in court.

The accident happened last month in Darlington when the double decker bus ferrying teenagers to Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form hit a low railway bridge over Neasham Road. No one was seriously hurt in the incident, but several of the students were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

One girl sustained a broken collarbone in the crash.

Durham Police has announced that it has decided to prosecute the bus driver.

A spokesman for the force said: ”Earlier this month, police completed their inquiries and sent a file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

“Following advice from the CPS, the driver of the bus, a 50-year-old man from Stockton, has now been summoned to appear before Darlington Magistrates’ Court on the afternoon of Thursday, November 10, for an offence of dangerous driving.”

About 50 students from Teesside were on the bus, operated by Stockton company, Compass Royston, when it crashed into the bridge on the morning of September 24.

Neighbours who lived nearby said it had been the scene of several accidents in the past. One woman said it was the third time in four years that she remembered a vehicle crashing into the bridge.

In December 1989, a double-decker bus carrying Middlesbrough Marks and Spencer workers on a staff outing to Darlington Civic Theatre hit the bridge.

Compass Royston said that while the police investigation was still under way, the company would not be issuing a comment.

Darlington Borough Council has also said it wanted a full investigation into how the crash happened.

A council spokeswoman said: “Due to an ongoing police investigation, we are unable to comment at this time.”