Bus loses control, crashes into cafe

The bus crashed into the deck of the busy Tauranga cafe. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

An out-of-control bus crashed through a fence and into the deck of a busy Tauranga cafe just 10 minutes after closing time.

A Bay Hopper bus with about a dozen people on board crashed into the side of Cafe Alfresco about 4.10pm yesterday.

St John Tauranga operations team manager Ross Clarke said one woman in her 20s was taken to hospital as a precaution after complaining of pain in her chest and stomach.

The cafe, which closed at 4pm, was empty at the time but staff in an office above said they felt and heard the crash.

A passenger on the bus said it was "quite freaky" to see the bus carry on turning and head for the building.

"It was a bit of a jolt," he said.

Witness Kaye Davies said the bus would have been turning right.

"I just saw him career across the road in the last few moments before it hit the verandah. There was just a big bang."

Cafe Alfresco owner Malcolm George said he had seen numerous near-misses at the intersections near the business.

"Every day we see a near-accident here. Every month we see an accident here. Time and time again we see it," he said.

Mr Malcolm said the council needed to change the bus route.

"They should be going on a main arterial route not down here."

Go Bus representatives at the scene declined to comment.