A PEDESTRIAN has been taken to hospital with head injuries after he was knocked over by a bus in the city centre.

The man was crossing the road at a pedestrian crossing in St George’s Place, Brighton, outside St Peter’s Church, when he was struck by the bus around 1pm today.

Bus passengers reported hearing a ‘loud thud’ when the Brighton and Hove Buses number five Hangleton service collided with the man.  

One mother on the bus with her son, from Kemp Town, who did not want to be named, said: “The bus stopped rapidly and we heard a massive bang.

“People then got off the bus to help the man. It was shocking, I didn’t expect that at all.”

A pedestrian, 37, who works nearby, said he saw the man walk into the road without looking.

He said: ”I was at the pedestrian crossing and the guy walked up beside me and looked left, but did not look right where the traffic was coming from. He walked straight into the path of the bus.

“The bus was coming along and could not have stopped. The traffic light was on green.

“I was bit shaken by it and called an ambulance straight away, which came in a couple of minutes.

“The man was struck by the bus on his back, but then hurt his head when he fell on the road.

“People were doing first aid and by the time the ambulance came, he was sat up by the side of the road conscious and talking. He had cuts to his face and head.”

Three police cars, a paramedic rapid response car and an ambulance were at the scene.

The man in his 40s was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital with head injuries.

When The Argus visited the scene traffic police officers were interviewing bus passengers, and Brighton and Hove buses officials were examining the bus.

The windscreen of the bus had cracked where it hit struck the pedestrian.

Brighton and Hove Buses managing director Martin Harris said: “Our bus was travelling south in the St Peter’s Church bus lane, having pulled away from a stop and moving a very short distance towards a set of lights. CCTV footage shows the traffic light was green and the bus was travelling at 19 mph - below the speed limit. 

“CCTV footage also shows that, unfortunately, the gentleman didn’t look right towards the bus at any time while he was waiting at the crossing. He was focussed on a taxi coming the other way. He stepped out as the taxi passed without looking the other way and walked straight into the path of the bus.

“An ambulance was on the scene within five minutes and the pedestrian was able to walk to it with the help of a paramedic. We very much hope he has not been injured badly and wish him a speedy recovery.”

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “A man has been taken to hospital with a head injury after he was involved in a collision with a bus in Brighton on Tuesday August 22.

“Police were advised of the incident outside St Peter's Church in York Place by ambulance colleagues at 12.56pm. The man, believed to be in his 40s, was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

“Anyone who witnessed the incident, who has not yet spoken to police, is asked to report online at https://sussex.police.uk/appealresponse or call 101 quoting serial 569 of 22/08.”