Portsmouth bus crash: 'What happened on Monday could have been avoided' - Petition started to move bus stop after 14-year-old dies

A petition has been started by Portsmouth businesses to relocate a bus stop where a 14-year old-boy died this week after a bus collision.

The goal of the petition is to “ urge Portsmouth City Council to take decisive action by relocating this bus stop to a safer, more suitable location.”

It was set up after a 14-year-old boy was killed this week on The Hard near the bus stop as a result of a collision. Tributes have been tied to a lamppost nearby, with messages such as "you will be missed” and “fly high” attached.

Jeanette Warren, who started the petition and who works at The Lady Hamilton and Keppel’s Head Hotel on The Hard said: “The bus stop that is there has caused us significant safety concerns since the redevelopment of the interchange. What happened on Monday could have been so easily avoided. It's just not adequate.”

“Its a narrow road, two buses cannot pass each other and the lay-by is not long enough for two buses. There’s no high curbing and three or four buses will park behind each other blocking the view to cross.

“The lay-by opposite the bus stop has short term parking, but does not have a crossing that is good enough to cross to go to the shops.”

The bus stop is on a narrow stretch of pavement. “When the bus stop is full the pavement is full, it’s not safe to pass,” said Jeanette. “People constantly walk into the road to pass the bus stop.”

Local business owners have previously asked the council to move the bus stop to a different part of the road.

Jeanette said: “Previously we asked the council in 2021, ‘This bus stop was meant to be temporary, when are you going to move it?’ They said they won’t move it because there is not enough space in the bus station.”

She said that Monday’s tragedy is not an isolated incident. “We see near misses all day every day.”

“There was a young girl who got hit by a bus in 2024, and then an elderly lady broke her nose trying to get out of the way of the bus.”

The petition to move the stop is approaching 1,000 signatures, both online and in physical forms that can be found at businesses along The Hard, including Keppel’s Head Hotel, The Lady Hamilton, Welcome The Hard and the Ship Anson pub.

“We deal with things as a community in Portsea,” said Jeanette. “We want to take it to the council to change things through the right channels.”

A spokesperson from Portsmouth City Council said: “We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident, and our thoughts are with everyone affected.

"We are awaiting the outcome of the police investigation.

"Previous concerns raised with the council about the bus stop focused solely on its impact on nearby businesses and the limited space available on the pavement. We have no record of any injuries at this location in the past 10 years."

You can find the petition here.