Seventeen Injured as Coach Skids Off M40 Slip Road in Dense Fog
Thame, Oxfordshire – A coach carrying 17 people overturned on a motorway slip road amid thick fog in the early hours of Friday, December 30, 2016. The Oxford Bus Company vehicle veered off the M40 northbound slip road at Junction 7 near Thame at around 2:45am, causing a major emergency response.
Major Incident Amid Freezing Fog
South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) labelled the crash a “major incident” due to the number of casualties. Emergency teams faced tough conditions as thick, freezing fog hampered access to the scene. Six ambulances, a rapid response vehicle, three ambulance officers, and a specialist hazardous area response team rushed to help.
All 17 injured – the male driver plus 16 passengers – suffered cuts, bruises, and broken bones. They were all rushed to Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital. A hospital specialist was on standby to manage the influx of patients.
Emergency Services Battle Tricky Weather
Mick Clarke from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue revealed the incident was still unfolding. “Seventeen casualties have thankfully been removed,” he said. “The investigation is ongoing and is now in the hands of Thames Valley Police.”
The Met Office issued a yellow fog warning for southern England, citing “freezing fog” likely to cause poor visibility through the afternoon. Clarke explained the M40’s ups and downs create pockets of sudden fog, making driving hazardous. “We’ve had thick patches of fog with freezing temperatures this week, causing slippery roads,” he added.
Slip Road Closed, Recovery Underway
Thames Valley Police confirmed the slip road would remain closed for several hours while recovery and barrier repairs take place. This stretch of motorway has a grim history: six years ago, a similar crash saw 17 people hospitalised when an Oxford Tube bus overturned at almost the same spot.
Just days earlier, a tragic series of crashes involving over 20 cars on the A40 struck the county, leaving one woman dead and several injured.
