AN Alresford villager has reported Stagecoach to the police after he says he was forced into the gutter by a bus.

David Turner said he had to take avoiding action as the 67 vehicle travelled between Alresford and Cheriton on the B3046.

His car struck potholes and he has since had to pay £331 for two new tyres.

Mr Turner said his anger has deepened following a letter from the company which he branded arrogant.

Operations manager Martin Gibbon said the company could not be liable when Mr Turner had chosen to manoeuvre into the side of the road.

Mr Turner, of Tichborne, said: “The bus was over the white line so I had to take avoidable action. Mr Gibbon said other vehicles should move out of the way. They can’t be held liable because there was no collision. I have never seen such arrogance.”

Mr Turner said he has complained to police and the Department of Transport.

Andrew Dyer, managing director of Stagecoach South, said some country lanes are so narrow that buses must straddle the white line.

Mr Dyer said: “I don’t think there is any evidence our driver was driving dangerously. Any incident like this is very regrettable but it is sadly just a fact of running buses on country roads which I don’t think we can do anything about. We tell drivers to exercise caution at all times.”

He added that a driver monitoring system, showed the bus had not gone faster than 25 mph on that stretch of road on the day of the incident.