Bus driver ran over and killed 'much-loved' man crossing road on daily walk

A bus driver ran over and killed a man crossing a road on his daily walk.

Amarjit Singh struck Scott Willis, 65, on Glasgow’s Great Western Road on January 27 last year.

The First Bus employee failed to spot Mr Willis despite having a 700-metre view of the road in front of him.

First offender Singh, 56, pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to causing death by careless driving.

Sheriff John McCormick said: “Mr Willis was a much-loved husband, brother and friend.

“His family have been heartbroken by his loss.

“I read the terms of the victim impact statement, and I can understand their torment at the manner of his demise.”

The court heard that Mr Willis was out at around 7am doing his 30,000 steps per day walk while Singh was driving a number six bus towards Clydebank.

Prosecutor Paula Wedlock said: “As the bus was approaching at the junction, the traffic lights changed to amber.

“Singh failed to slow down and instead maintained his speed through the junction at 24 miles per hour.”

Mr Willis crossed the stop line while the amber light was illuminated.

Ms Wedlock stated: “On the approach to Great Western Road, Mr Willis didn’t stop to check for traffic and continued to walk across the road.

“This was directly into the path of Singh’s bus.”

The fiscal depute added that Mr Willies did not cross directly at the crossing but before the recognised area.

Ms Wedlock said: “At this time, the crossing displayed a red man for pedestrians waiting to cross.

“The front nearside windscreen of the bus struck Mr Willis causing him to fall to the ground and he went under the bus.

“The bus stopped and Mr Willis’ body was lying behind it.”

Emergency crews attended and carried out CPR but Mr Willis was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem stated that he died from “multiple injuries consistent with the circumstances”.

An investigation found no defects to the bus and Singh had not been on his phone at the time of the collision.

Ms Wedlock said: “The northbound driver had a view of at least 700 metres along a straight stretch of road which is generally level.”

The fiscal depute added that Mr Willis’ view of the road, in the hours of darkness, would have been impacted due to shrubbery.

The hearing was told that Mr Willis leaves behind his wife for over 25 years.

David Nicholson KC, defending, said: “I am aware that friends and family of Mr Willis are in the court.

“I take this opportunity on his behalf to send his sincere condolences to them.

“He hopes in some small way that his plea of guilty will offer them some comfort and allow matters to progress rather than what would have been the case.”

After his death, Mr Willis was described as “A long-serving colleague and respected director of the Arnold Clark Group. He was much loved and will be sorely missed by all of his wider family and his many friends.”

The sentence was deferred pending background reports until November.

Singh, of the city’s Maryhill, had his bail continued and was disqualified from driving in the meantime.