Lothian Buses investigation after close cyclist overtake caught on video

Lothian Buses is investigating after a video showing a bus driver overtaking a cyclist at a close distance was posted on social media.

Tomas Bjoardaeln was cycling along Cadzow Place towards the junction with Montrose Terrace and East Norton Place at 5:42pm on Thursday, November 26, when he was overtaken by the X5 bus.

The 26-year-old captured the moment on his bike-mounted camera.

Footage from the camera shows the bus using the right-hand lane, meant for traffic turning right onto East Norton Place, to overtake Tomas at a close distance, before heading onto Montrose Terrace.

Lothian Buses is investigating after a video showing a bus driver overtaking a cyclist at a close distance was posted on social media. (Credit: Tomas Bjoardaeln)

“My camera was mounted on the left side of the handlebar, so it looks like I'm on the left side of the centre line,” Tomas explained, “But in fact I'm riding quite centrally.

“The bus came from right and cut me off so he could continue driving straight - even though the road has markings clearly showing that the line he used was only for drivers turning right.

“You can see me swerve immediately to the left to avoid being hit by the bus,” he added.

When Tomas posted the video from his bike camera on social media, Lothian Buses asked him to contact them.

When he did, the company told Tomas that the matter had been passed to the driver’s manager to carry out a full investigation.

Tomas, who commutes on his bike every day, said he was “shocked” that an “experienced bus driver” would overtake him so closely.

“I have already contacted Lothian Buses to report this incident in the hopes that the driver will be sent to awareness courses, so he is more vigilant on the road,” he said.

Despite the incident, Tomas said he would still rate Edinburgh as a “fairly safe” city for cyclists.

“Of course, you might get in a situation where you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, and have to deal with a rude car driver, a motorcyclist - or even a fellow cyclist.”

The Edinburgh Evening News approached Lothian Buses for a comment on the incident, but has not yet received a response.

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