A Flixbus driver was arrested on suspicion of drug driving on the M23, leaving passengers stranded on the motorway hard shoulder for 90 minutes. The incident occurred during a Cambridge to Brighton service, which had boarded at Gatwick.
Passengers reported that the coach was an hour late, visibly damaged, and the driver set off without closing the luggage hatch. Other passengers reportedly observed the driver driving with his eyes closed before police pulled the coach over due to erratic driving.
The driver was tested at the roadside and detained on suspicion of driving while under the influence. Police asked Flixbus to provide an alternative driver, but this was unsuccessful. Officers eventually drove the passengers to a service station on the outskirts of Brighton, from where they had to make their own way into the city.
Flixbus stated that the safety of passengers is its highest priority and that it has a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding substance abuse and dangerous driving. The company confirmed it has launched an urgent investigation into the incident with the coach operator.