A bus driver knocked down and killed two women after accidentally pressing the accelerator instead of the brake while helping a disabled passenger, a court heard. Joyce Bacon and Adele Boylin were stood at a bus stop in Piccadilly Gardens at around 9.30pm on July 10, 2022 when the Stagecoach double decker driven by Baruania Baros ploughed into them.
Ms Bacon, 60, died that day while Ms Boylin, 55, succumbed to her injuries on December 6, 2022. At Manchester Magistrates' Court, Baros, 35, of Bentinck Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by careless driving. He will be sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on May 2.
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Andrew Hey, prosecuting, said Baros pulled into stand B at Piccadilly Gardens and attempted to lower the 'kneeling ramp' to help a disabled passenger. But when the ramp failed he returned to his cab and released the handbrake.
Mr Hey said: "The bus lurched forward. Instead of applying the brake he pressed the accelerator which caused the bus to collide with Joyce Bacon and Adele Boylin and the bus stop."
Mr Hey said a collision investigation report said 'training records' showed the bus should have been placed in neutral while the ramp was being lowered. He added: "Had the bus been in neutral, the bus would not have travelled forward and the collision would not have occurred. Equally, had he pressed the brake instead of the accelerator most likely the collision would not have occurred."
Majid Awan, defending, said: "Mr Baros is in no way excusing what happened and he is extremely remorseful. It is no more than an unfortunate lapse of concentration.
"Tragically two members of the public did lose their lives. He does accept he left the bus in drive, but did so only because he was trying to assist a bus user with the ramp.
"Unfortunately, he has released the handbrake because from his experience he is aware that by doing so it would release the ramp. He tried to press the brake, but unfortunately pressed the accelerator."
The court heard Baros has no criminal record and a clean driving licence. He was given an interim driving ban until the sentencing.
Ms Bacon and Ms Boylin, a mother of four who worked at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and was on her way home from a shift, were both from Droylsden and knew each other. In a tribute released after her death Ms Bacon's husband Ian, who was with her at the time of the crash, described her as a 'loving mother, sister and wife'.
He added: "Joyce was always busy and she loved to take care of people. She was very generous by nature just like her mother. She won over people instantly with her fabulous smile. We will all miss her so much, especially me."
