Peshwari Naan

Michael Legge blogs on 29th November 2008...

On the same day as my religious experience I travelled upon a National Express coach, surely all the proof we need that there is no God. It was cramped, it was smelly and everyone on it looked odd. It was like they hadn't quite formed yet. The worst one was the driver who had tattoos of skulls on fire and a woman with blood coming out of her tit on one arm and on the other just one that said I Miss You, Mum. What a tribute. She must have been lovely. Not only did he look bizarre but he sang the whole fucking way to Leicester constantly turning to a passenger near him and saying "Don't you know that one?" Of course she doesn't know that one. No one knows that one because the words and tunes coming out of your broken mouth have never been put in that spastic an order before. More annoying than him was the lady sitting in front of me who not only shouted while using her phone but put it on speaker-phone so we could all hear the other shouting prick she was talking to. Once again it was up to me to ask her to speak a little quieter but all she did was give me information that I already knew. She said "You don't even know me", which is true but irrelevant and after three times of asking her to be quiet and her saying that, I finally said "Yes, I do know you. You're that annoying fucker on the bus" which made some people near me laugh out loud. She hung up, put her phone on vibrate and never answered it again for the rest of the journey. I hate the bus but I hate the bus because people who go on buses are cunts. If they'd just stick them in the same asylum as religious people I might start to get a bit happier. Hey-Ho.


The Press and Journal of Aberdeen reports on 27th November 2008...

driver sentenced
Safety of coach passengers

Published: 27/11/2008

THE carefully-crafted words of National Express Group chief executive Richard Bowker following the jailing of driver Philip Rooney look rather hollow when set alongside the full circumstances of the crash which killed three people on a London to Aberdeen coach in January last year.

Mr Bowker, in a statement bearing all the hallmarks of having been put together by a public-relations adviser specialising in damage limitation, expressed condolences to relatives of the dead and injured, thanked the emergency services for their help and stressed the importance the company placed on safety. It ended, predictably, with the “lessons will be learned” promise.

We have no doubt that Mr Bowker’s regret is entirely sincere and that the company will, indeed, review its safety procedures in the light of the incident and the remarks of the judge who yesterday sentenced Rooney to five years in jail.

What the families and public would like to know, however, is why Rooney was on the road in the first place, at the wheel of a coach carrying nearly 70 people on a journey covering more than 500 miles, almost exclusively of motorway and dual carriageway. For a start, he had five convictions for speeding and, although they were while driving private cars, they demonstrate a total lack of regard for motoring laws and, crucially, road safety.

If that were not bad enough, Rooney had also previously been warned by his employer for disabling a speed limiter on his vehicle so that he could drive faster. And in a touch of supreme, tragic irony, at the time of the accident he was taking a bend too fast while broadcasting over the vehicle loudspeaker system. None of these is the action of a man personifying his company’s commitment to the safety of its passengers.

The Times reports on 27th November 2008...

Coach driver jailed for fatal crash on motorway

A National Express bus driver was sentenced to five years in prison after causing an accident in which three passengers were killed. Philip Rooney, 49, was driving at 55mph around a bend with a 40mph speed limit and giving a safety announcement when he lost control of the vehicle, Oxford Crown Court was told. One passenger said that Rooney was driving like he was “possessed” before the crash, on the M25/M4 sliproad in January last year.

Rooney, of Carluke, South Lanarkshire, pleaded guilty to three counts of causing death by dangerous driving. He was also banned from driving for three years.

* Have your say

Some time ago, I was on a NE coach tail-gating at speed up the M1. The driver was in a foul mood (refusing requests to switch on the air-con on what was a hot day). I reported all this to NE after this crash, but apart from ringing once when I was out, NE never followed up, despite my calls.

steve moxon, Sheffield,

Daily Record - Scotland reports on 27th November 2008...

Fury as five previous speeding raps of Scots driver jailed for fatal coach smash are revealed

A BUS driver who caused the death of three passengers had FIVE previous convictions for speeding, it was revealed yesterday.

Details of Philip Rooney's record were revealed as he was jailed for five years.

The family of one of the victims said they were amazed Rooney had been allowed to continue driving.

Christina Toner died on the National Express coach which skidded on to its side after Rooney lost control on January 3, 2007.

Her daughter, Gail Light, said: "I have been feeling guilty for feeling sorry for the man but the evidence I heard today changed my mind."

Gail's husband Matt added: "We were surprised National Express would employ someone with that level of convictions."

Rooney had also been in trouble with his company for tampering with a speed-limiter on a bus.

Rooney, 49, of Carluke, Lanarkshire, admitted three counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

The dad-of-three was speaking over the bus's intercom and doing 55mph on a 40mph bend when the accident happened on the M4/M25 slip road near Heathrow airport.

Oxford Crown Court heard Rooney was driving like he was "possessed" and also "going like the clappers" before the crash.

He was probably trying to make up for lost time following a delay caused by a luggage problem.

Many of those on the overnight London to Aberdeen service had to be cut from the wreckage.

Christina, 76, from Dundee, and 30-year-old Chinese national Yi Di Lin died just after the crash. John Carruthers, 78, of Chertsey, Surrey, died months later in hospital.

Another 65 people were injured, including four who had to have amputations.

Rooney had been driving coaches for 15 years. The court heard Rooney, with a co-driver, had set off from Victoria bus station in London in the new 82-seater bus just after 10.30pm .

Richard Latham QC, prosecuting, said tachograph readings showed that he consistently broke speed limits as the coach went to pick up again at Heathrow airport.

His driving caused luggage to fall from the shelf as he took a corner and the vehicle clipped a kerb.

A lot of passengers were returning home from Christmas holidays and the coach was heavily laden.

Rooney had to call a taxi to transport one family's luggage because there was no room - causing a 30-minute delay.

Mr Latham said: "A number of passengers noted the vehicle was being driven significantly faster, as if the driver was seeking to make up for lost time."

The coach clipped a barrier and Rooney tried to correct its path but lost control.

The double-decker skidded and began travelling sideways before striking a crash barrier and flipping over. Seconds before the crash, Rooney had been giving a safety announcement.

Passengers recalled hearing screams and the microphone crackling before his voice stopped. One said: "After Heathrow, the driver drove like he was possessed. He kept overtaking everything and going like the clappers."

Among the victims on the coach was an Albanian woman, Samia Berbiche, who was with her three-year-old son and eight-month-old daughter.

She lost part of her right leg, her son lost part of his right leg and lower left arm, and her daughter lost one of her lower legs.

Mohammed Khamisa QC, defending Rooney, said he was an experienced driver and a hardworking family man who drove in excess of 1000 miles a week in his job.

He offered his "heart felt apologies" to those who lost loved ones or who were injured.

He added: "He has been very traumatised by the enormity of the incident. The events have crushed him and continue to haunt him."

He said Rooney had helped the injured at the scene despite being hurt himself. Rooney has suffered post-traumatic stress.

Judge Mr Justice Gross also banned Rooney from driving for three years and ordered him to take an extended driving test before he was allowed back on the road again.

The Guardian reports on 27th November 2008...

Coach driver jailed over Heathrow death crash

A coach driver who caused a crash near Heathrow which killed three people and injured more than 60 others was jailed yesterday for five years.

Philip Rooney, 49, was making a public safety announcement over the vehicle's public address system while speeding round a bend when the crash happened.

The double-decker National Express coach, carrying 69 passengers, overturned and skidded along on its side on the M4/M25 slip road near the airport.

Rooney was trying to negotiate a 40mph bend at 55mph when he lost control. He was driving like he was "possessed" - probably in an attempt to make up for lost time following a delay caused by a luggage problem, Oxford crown court was told.

Many of those on the overnight London to Aberdeen service had to be cut from the wreckage on January 3 last year.

Christina Toner, 76, from Dundee, and Yi Di Lin, 30, a Chinese national, died following the crash. John Carruthers, 78, of Chertsey, Surrey, died six months later.

Another 65 people were injured, including four who had to have amputations and 19 who suffered fractures.

The victims included an Albanian woman, Samia Berbiche. Berbiche lost part of her right leg, her three-year-old son lost part of his right leg and lower left arm, and her eight-month-old daughter lost one of her lower legs.

Rooney, a father of three from Carluke in Lanarkshire, was jailed for five years and banned from driving for three years after pleading guilty at a previous hearing to three counts of causing death by dangerous driving. He was also ordered to take an extended driving test.

Rooney, who had been driving coaches for 15 years, had been caught speeding in passenger vehicles on five occasions.

He was also disciplined by his employer in December 2004 for tampering with a speed limiter so he could drive faster.

Following the sentence, Toner's family said they were astonished that Rooney was allowed to keep his job after his previous speeding convictions.

"We were surprised that somebody would employ someone with that level of convictions in a public service," said her son-in-law Matt Light.

The court heard that the coach had been delayed by an hour and a half after Rooney had to call a taxi to transport one family's luggage because there was no room in the heavily laden vehicle.

Richard Latham QC, prosecuting, said: "A number of passengers noted the vehicle was being driven significantly faster, as if the driver was seeking to make up for lost time."

One passenger said: "After Heathrow the driver drove like he was possessed. He kept overtaking everything and going like the clappers."

Mohammed Khamisa QC, defending, said Rooney had offered his "heartfelt apologies" to those who lost loved ones or who were injured.

He added: "The events have crushed him and continue to haunt him."

natural yogurt blogs on 27th November 2008...

Five years for causing death by dangerous driving

After a very long wait the case concerning Philip Rooney, the driver whose double-decker National Express coach flipped onto its side and skidded along the M4 slip road off the M25 near Heathrow Airport on January 3 last year, has come to a close. The story in the Telegraph reads...

Coach driver 'giving safety talk when he crashed'
A coach driver responsible for a crash which killed three passengers and injured dozens of others was giving a safety talk as he took a corner too fast and lost control, a court heard. Philip Rooney, 49, was speaking over the vehicle's tannoy system while trying to negotiate a 40mph bend at 55mph. Terrified passengers recalled hearing screams and the microphone crackling before the voice stopped.

The double-decker National Express coach flipped onto its side and skidded along the M4 slip road off the M25 near Heathrow Airport on January 3 last year. The damage to the vehicle was so great that many of the 69 passengers on board had to be cut out of the wreckage.

Christina Toner, 76, from Dundee, and 30-year-old Yi Di Lin, a Chinese national, died in the crash, while John Carruthers, 78, of Chertsey, Surrey, died six months later in hospital. A further 65 people were injured, including four who needed amputations and 19 who suffered fractures.

Oxford Crown Court heard how Rooney, from Carluke in Scotland, was driving as though he was "possessed". The father-of-three, who pleaded guilty to three counts of causing death by dangerous driving, was jailed for five years and disqualified from driving for three years.

The court heard that Rooney set off from Victoria bus station in central London, bound for Aberdeen, in the almost new 82-seater vehicle just after 10.30pm. Richard Latham QC, prosecuting, said he consistently broke speed limits as he made his way to the next pick-up point at Heathrow Airport. Luggage fell from the shelf as Rooney took corners too fast and the vehicle clipped a kerb coming into the airport, the court heard. There was a delay of half an hour as Rooney sorted out a problem with the luggage before leaving Heathrow. Mr Latham said: "A number of passengers noted the vehicle was being driven significantly faster, as if the driver was seeking to make up for lost time." One passenger account said: "After Heathrow the driver drove like he was possessed. He kept overtaking everything and going like the clappers."

As the coach made its way towards a bend in the slip road for the M25, it was travelling at 55mph - 15mph above the speed limit - the court heard. The vehicle clipped a barrier and as Rooney tried to steer the right path he lost control, skidding sideways before striking a crash barrier and flipping over. The court was told that a number of passengers recalled that, in the seconds before the crash, the driver had been giving a safety announcement over the public address system.

Rooney, who had been driving coaches for 15 years, had previously been caught speeding in passenger vehicles on five occasions and been disciplined by his employer for tampering with a speed limiter on his vehicle so he could drive faster.

After sentencing, Mrs Toner's daughter Gail Light said she was astonished to hear about Rooney's driving record. She said: "I have been feeling guilty for feeling sorry for the man but the evidence I heard changed my mind on that because of the previous convictions he had for speeding."

...Okay, so that was the outcome of the court case, now what can natural yogurt say about it?

I think that justice has been done and the custodial sentence of 5 years is the right one in this case. On 2nd November 2007 Scott Easton a van driver was jailed for seven years after killing a Tyneside family of four in a crash in North Yorkshire. He had pleaded guilty just like Philip. What was in my opinion incredibly lenient was the case of Anne Foster-Chia , who was jailed for two years after killing an 80-year-old pedestrian while trying to answer her mobile phone. Foster-Chia, who was on her way to collect her disabled son, was seen moments earlier cradling the phone in her neck. She was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving and banned from driving for two years. Judge Robert Moore said he would have been more lenient had she accepted her guilt. He said: "You told the police, jury and presumably yourself, and repeated to me that you knocked the phone to the floor. The jury disbelieved you and so do I. " There is no doubt the phone rang. It was your joiner, although you thought it was the school."

The accident happened in Sheffield in December 2005. Michael Slater, prosecuting, told Sheffield Crown Court: "The defendant failed to stop and give way because she was paying more attention to her telephone rather than keeping a proper look-out for the traffic conditions unfolding in front of her."

What was Philip doing driving along at 55mph whilst talking on the microphone? This is the actions of a cowboy. We all know that men cannot multitask and the only time to use the microphone on a coach is when the Park Brake is applied. Also this accident happened a long way from Heathrow airport so it is safe to assume that his safety announcement was one of those weary, long winded speeches that I find a total embarrassment. There are some drivers on the National Express network who drone on and on with the microphone in their so-called safety announcement whilst driving along. As this case proves, this microphone use can become dangerous. All safety announcements should be made whilst stationary, they should be short. Tell the passengers where the coach is going, that seat belts must be worn, the location of emergency exits and the toilet. Anything more is driver vanity. The same applies to coach stops, when parked simply announce the current location.

We all know that most driver announcements are ignored by the passengers. It is not just on coaches but on planes too . If the passengers are not talking amongst themselves, they are listening to personal stereos or droning into mobile phones for minutes on end. However, all National Express coaches display the seat belt pictograms on the windows to inform passengers that they must wear a seat belt.

Luggage is a problem on double decker coaches and National Express have been aware of this for a long time. This is not a problem for the driver because he can bounce the problem to Service Support who will resolve the issue. The terms and conditions clearly states that each passenger can bring 2 medium size suitcases. So the coach departs Heathrow 30 minutes late, it is no big deal. At £7 an hour that means that Philip was looking at another £3.50 in his wage packet. The driver is on the sharp end of the coach and to put your own safety at risk by cornering fast is foolish.

The CCTV images from inside the coach were not made public but I cannot see how anyone could have been killed if they were wearing their seat belt. As I wrote in this blog on 6th January 2007 ...

I do not believe that the deaths and injuries sustained would have happened had all the passengers been wearing their seatbelts. The photographs in the press of the coach show relatively little damage to the outside body of the coach. A broken mirror and windows should not lead to the death of 2 passengers and amputation of limbs.

...So there you have it. I believe that Philip Rooney has caused death by dangerous driving. It was his own fault, he was right to plead guilty and his sentence of 5 years was right. Sadly if all the passengers had warn their seat belts then those deaths and injuries would have been avoided. Looking back at the case of Scott Easton who got 7 years after pleading guilty to killing 4 people, Philip who also pleaded guilty, was given a discount of 2 years because of the seat belt issue. This seems fair in the circumstances and I believe that justice has finally been done.

Remember, you have only one chance to get it right. You can never get the time back and we are all paid by the hour to do the best of a bad job. Always make a safety announcement but only when stationary.

The Independent reports on 26th November 2008...

Death crash driver 'made announcement while speeding on bend'

A National Express coach driver caused a terrifying crash which killed three passengers and injured dozens of others as he gave a safety announcement while speeding around a bend, a court heard today.

Philip Rooney, 49, was speaking over the vehicle's public address system while trying to negotiate a 40mph bend at 55mph when he lost control.

It caused the double-decker coach, carrying 69 passengers, to overturn and skid along its side on the M4/M25 slip road near Heathrow Airport.

Rooney was driving like he was "possessed" before the crash - probably in a bid to make up for lost time following a delay caused by a luggage problem, a judge was told.

Many of those on the overnight London to Aberdeen service had to be cut from the wreckage on 3 January last year.

Christina Toner, 76, from Dundee, and 30-year-old Yi Di Lin, a Chinese national, died following the crash.

John Carruthers, 78, of Chertsey, Surrey, died six months later in hospital.

Another 65 people were injured, including four who had to have amputations and 19 who suffered fractures.

Father-of-three Rooney, of Larkshill Drive, Carluke, Scotland, was appearing for sentence at Oxford Crown Court today after pleading guilty at a previous hearing to three counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

The court heard that Rooney, who had a co-driver, set off from Victoria bus station in central London, bound for Scotland, in the almost new 82-seater vehicle just after 10.30pm on 3 January.

Richard Latham QC, prosecuting, said tachograph readings showed he consistently broke speed limits as the coach made its way to the next pick-up point at Heathrow Airport.

Rooney's driving caused luggage to fall from the shelf as he took a corner and the vehicle clipped a kerb coming into the airport, said Mr Latham.

A number of passengers were returning home from Christmas holidays and, the court heard, the coach was heavily laden.

Rooney had to call a taxi to transport one family's luggage because there was no room on the coach - causing a delay of more than half an hour before it set off again.

Mr Latham said: "A number of passengers noted the vehicle was being driven significantly faster, as if the driver was seeking to make up for lost time."

The court heard that, as the coach made its way towards the slip road for the M25, there was a warning sign indicating that the maximum speed for the bend should be 40mph.

At the vehicle took the bend it was travelling at 55mph, the tachograph showed.

The coach clipped a barrier and Rooney tried to correct its path by steering away but lost control.

Mr Latham said the vehicle skidded around and began travelling sideways before striking a crash barrier and flipping over.

The court was told that a number of passengers recalled that, in the seconds before the crash, the driver had been giving a safety announcement over the tannoy.

Mr Latham said passengers recalled hearing screams and the microphone crackling before the voice stopped.

Other passenger accounts read to the court by Mr Latham stated that luggage was being dislodged by heavy braking as Rooney sped along.

One said: "After Heathrow the driver drove like he was possessed. He kept overtaking everything and going like the clappers."

Telegraph reports on 26th November 2008...


Coach driver 'giving safety talk when he crashed'
A coach driver responsible for a crash which killed three passengers and injured dozens of others was giving a safety talk as he took a corner too fast and lost control, a court heard.

Philip Rooney, 49, was speaking over the vehicle's tannoy system while trying to negotiate a 40mph bend at 55mph.

Terrified passengers recalled hearing screams and the microphone crackling before the voice stopped.

The double-decker National Express coach flipped onto its side and skidded along the M4 slip road off the M25 near Heathrow Airport on January 3 last year.

The damage to the vehicle was so great that many of the 69 passengers on board had to be cut out of the wreckage.

Christina Toner, 76, from Dundee, and 30-year-old Yi Di Lin, a Chinese national, died in the crash, while John Carruthers, 78, of Chertsey, Surrey, died six months later in hospital.

A further 65 people were injured, including four who needed amputations and 19 who suffered fractures.

Oxford Crown Court heard how Rooney, from Carluke in Scotland, was driving as though he was "possessed".

The father-of-three, who pleaded guilty to three counts of causing death by dangerous driving, was jailed for five years and disqualified from driving for three years.

The court heard that Rooney set off from Victoria bus station in central London, bound for Aberdeen, in the almost new 82-seater vehicle just after 10.30pm.

Richard Latham QC, prosecuting, said he consistently broke speed limits as he made his way to the next pick-up point at Heathrow Airport.

Luggage fell from the shelf as Rooney took corners too fast and the vehicle clipped a kerb coming into the airport, the court heard.

There was a delay of half an hour as Rooney sorted out a problem with the luggage before leaving Heathrow.

Mr Latham said: "A number of passengers noted the vehicle was being driven significantly faster, as if the driver was seeking to make up for lost time."

One passenger account said: "After Heathrow the driver drove like he was possessed. He kept overtaking everything and going like the clappers."

As the coach made its way towards a bend in the slip road for the M25, it was travelling at 55mph - 15mph above the speed limit - the court heard.

The vehicle clipped a barrier and as Rooney tried to steer the right path he lost control, skidding sideways before striking a crash barrier and flipping over.

The court was told that a number of passengers recalled that, in the seconds before the crash, the driver had been giving a safety announcement over the public address system.

Rooney, who had been driving coaches for 15 years, had previously been caught speeding in passenger vehicles on five occasions and been disciplined by his employer for tampering with a speed limiter on his vehicle so he could drive faster.

After sentencing, Mrs Toner's daughter Gail Light said she was astonished to hear about Rooney's driving record.

She said: "I have been feeling guilty for feeling sorry for the man but the evidence I heard changed my mind on that because of the previous convictions he had for speeding."

The Times reports on 26th November 2008...

Heathrow death crash coach driver Philip Rooney jailed for 5 years
National Express man Philip Rooney did 55mph on bend while giving safety announcement and 'trying to make up lost time'

A speeding National Express coach driver was sentenced to five years in prison yesterday for causing a fatal motorway accident in which three people were killed and dozens more were left with serious injuries.

Philip Rooney, 49, was driving at 55mph around the bend on the M25/M4 slip road, 15 miles above the recommended speed limit, and was also giving a safety announcement over the tannoy when he lost control of the coach, hitting a safety barrier and causing the vehicle to turn over.

Three people died after the accident, and many of those that were injured had to be cut from the wreckage.

The accident occurred near Heathrow airport on January 3 last year, and many of those on board the overnight service from London to Aberdeen were heading home after the Christmas break.

The court heard that Mr Rooney had been caught speeding in passenger vehicles five times before the accident, and had also been disciplined by his employer in December 2004 for tampering with a device that limits a coach’s speed.

A passenger on the coach said that Mr Rooney was driving like like he was “possessed”, and the vehicle’s tachograph, which records the vehicle's speed, showed the speed limit had been broken on a number of occasions during the journey.

Christina Toner, 76, from Dundee, and 30-year-old Yi Di Lin, a Chinese national, died following the crash. John Carruthers, 78, from Surrey, died six months later in hospital from his injuries.

One family on board, who had to be cut from the wreckage, suffered multiple injuries; Samia Berbiche, from Albania, lost part of her right leg, her three-year-old son lost part of his right leg and lower left arm, and her eight-month-old daughter lost one of her lower legs.

None of the 69 passengers on board escaped unhurt after the double-decker bus clipped a safety barrier, overturned and skid along its side.

The court heard that Rooney tried to correct the coach’s path after first hitting the barrier but the vehicle overturned after he lost control.

Richard Latham QC, prosecuting, said that Rooney’s driving earlier in the journey had caused luggage to fall from the shelf as the driver tried to make up for their delayed departure.

“A number of passengers noted the vehicle was being driven significantly faster, as if the driver was seeking to make up for lost time,” he said.

One passenger told the court: “After Heathrow the driver drove like he was possessed. He kept overtaking everything and going like the clappers.”

The coach, which left London’s Victoria station at 10.30pm, crashed shortly after leaving Heathrow airport. The court heard that Mr Rooney might have been trying to make up for lost time after problems fitting in all the luggage onto the vehicle caused a delayed departure.

A subsequent investigation found that taking the bend at any speed over 45mph would be dangerous and posed a serious risk to the vehicle becoming unstable and the driver losing control.

Mr Rooney's lawyer said his client was "deeply sorry" for the accident.

The father of three, from South Lanarkshire in Scotland, pleaded guilty to three counts of causing death by dangerous driving. He was also banned from driving for three years at Oxford Crown Court.

* Have your say

5 years for causing death on the roads. He should be in prison for at least 30 years. If he had shot and killed someone that would have been his sentence.

Adrian Hilton, Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire