School Bus Hits Railway Bridge in Newport Injuring Three Children

Three children were taken to hospital after a school bus struck a railway bridge in Newport, Wales, on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The collision occurred on Tregare Street at approximately 7:45 a.m. BST as the bus was traveling to Ysgol Gyfun Gwent Is Coed, a Welsh-medium secondary school, according to Gwent Police.

The children's injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, police said. Emergency crews attended the scene, while the crash initially forced the closure of the road and disrupted rail services between Newport and Hereford.

Images from the scene showed that the collision had torn off the bus's roof as it passed beneath the railway bridge. The vehicle was subsequently removed, although the road remained closed and diversions were in place, according to reports from WalesOnline.

Gwent Police said officers responded alongside South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and the Welsh Ambulance Service. The three injured pupils were transported to hospital for treatment.

Transport for Wales initially warned passengers that services in both directions between Newport and Hereford could be canceled or delayed by up to 60 minutes. The disruption followed the collision at Maindee West, between Newport and Cwmbran, where the railway bridge required safety inspections before trains could pass.

Network Rail later confirmed that the railway had been temporarily closed for safety checks. After the bridge was inspected and reopened, train services resumed, although residual delays and cancellations continued as operators worked to restore normal timetables.

Network Rail said it was concerned about those affected by the incident on East Usk Road and confirmed that the temporary closure had been necessary to complete safety checks.

Transport for Wales also advised passengers that tickets could be used at no additional cost on certain alternative services operated by Great Western Railway, CrossCountry and West Midlands Railway. The permitted routes included connections between Severn Tunnel Junction and Bristol Parkway, Bristol Parkway and Birmingham New Street, and Hereford and Birmingham New Street.

Great Western Railway separately offered ticket flexibility for affected passengers, including travel on the two services before or after a canceled train. The operator said replacement buses, coaches or taxis had not initially been requested, while passengers were advised to consider postponing journeys until services returned to normal.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said its crews attended the collision at approximately 7:49 a.m. on Tregare Street in Newport, alongside police and ambulance personnel. The service later confirmed that its crews and resources had withdrawn from the scene.

Newport council said it was working closely with emergency services following the crash. The council described the welfare of those involved as its immediate priority.

Rail disruption also affected passengers traveling between London Paddington and Reading after a separate vehicle collision with a bridge near Langley. Subsequent disruption on that route was also linked to a train fault, according to WalesOnline, creating additional delays for passengers traveling between Wales and England.