Racer shunts taxi into bus

A taxi driver and his passenger were shunted into the path of an oncoming bus yesterday after being hit by an out of control racing car.

Two cars had been racing, and police were last night hunting the driver of one, which failed to stop after the accident in which the taxi driver and his passenger were badly hurt.

Inspector Gavin MacDonald, from the Northern Communications Centre, said a red car and a blue car were seen racing on the Northwestern Motorway near Te Atatu before exiting at the Te Atatu offramp around 3.30pm.

The red car lost control and smashed into the back of the Cheap Cabs taxi, forcing it into the path of a bus and the two collided.

Firefighters cut the taxi driver and his passenger from the wreck.

Mr MacDonald said it was not clear how many people were on the bus. There were no reports of passenger injuries, but the driver's leg had a gash.

The driver of the racing car concerned was not injured. His car has been impounded.

"The blue car disappeared so ... if there are any witnesses to that racing if they can contact Henderson police."

Mr MacDonald said "they [racers] have just got to start giving a bit of forethought."