A BAR owner is calling time on a ‘dangerous’ corner in Weymouth town centre where an elderly man was knocked over by a bus.

Chris Walden-Reece claims pedestrians are at risk as buses swing round the corner from Lower St Alban Street into St Thomas Street.

Mr Walden-Reece witnessed a 90-year-old holidaymaker being ‘thrown into the air’ when a Portland-bound single decker First bus clipped his leg.

Police said he suffered minor injuries and did not need to go to hospital.

First has suspended the bus driver pending the outcome of an investigation.

A spokesman said the company ‘deeply regretted’ the incident and any distress caused.

First said all its routes were risk assessed and drivers given training in how to negotiate them.

The accident on Tuesday has highlighted the problem corner.

Mr Walden-Reece, owner of the Orange Cider Bar, which overlooks the corner, says a pavement bollard outside Marmaris Takeaway next door was knocked over some time ago and should be replaced as it would prevent accidents such as this.

In the long-term he believes the upper part of St Thomas Street should be pedestrianised.

Mr Walden-Reece, 46, said: “I saw the front end of the bus go over the pavement and hit an old chap as the bus came round. Someone on a walking frame was waiting to cross the road outside the Tesco Metro store opposite so the bus may have swung out to avoid them.”

He added: “It’s not the first time someone has been hit.

“The corner is dangerous and in my view buses shouldn’t even be using the road. I had work done on the bar before I opened last year and they managed to re-route the buses then so it can be done.”

Owner of the Ta Dyo Adelphia restaurant in St Thomas Street, George Afedakis, said authorities should take a ‘serious look’ at the corner before there is more accidents. He added: “The minibuses are fine. It’s the longer buses which are the problem.”

Kim Martin of Reels and Deals said: “I don’t think the street should be pedestrianised because at the end of the day people want to come into town, park up and grab what they want.”

No one from Dorset County Council was available to comment.