Tottenham Court Road crash: Police van involved in horror smash after car 'ran red light' in central London

Ewan Somerville28 November 2019
WEST END FINAL

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A police van was involved in a horror crash after a car reportedly ran a red light on a busy central London road.

The British Transport Police van was responding to another emergency when the crash happened at around 1.30pm at St Giles Circus junction, on Tottenham Court Road.

Heavy congestion was reported in the area as police, fire crews and ambulances rushed to the scene.

Pictures posted on Twitter showed the police van smashed in at the front, its numberplate lying on the road. The car was missing its roof and appeared to have been cut open by fire services.

No police officers are believed to have been hurt. It is unknown whether the drvier of the other vehicle was injured or not. There has been no arrests.

Members of the public tweeted dramatic photos from the scene at Tottenham Court Road
@SarahTisshaw

Johan Van Der Steen, 26, from Tooting, told the Standard: "From what I could see it seems the car ran a red light and the police van smashed into it.

"The police opened the car doors to the car and then the car drove away a few meters. I don’t think they were trying to escape, I think the driver was just in shock or disorientated.

"The police managed to stop the car though quite quickly and the driver looked like he was in shock when we got closer."

He said the passenger of the car appeared to be a man.

Emergency services were still at the crash scene three hours later, outside Tottenham Court Road station
@SarahTisshaw on Twitter

Sarah Tisshaw, who was also at the scene, tweeted: "So I said to my bf this morning that I wanted to go West End to get a new coat but not sure as it's always a nightmare.....that was an understatement.....wow."

Another eyewitness tweeted: "Looks like a police van has hit another car head-on outside Tottenham Court Road station. Ambulance and fire crew are here."

Another wrote: "Huge car crash outside Tottenham court road, woman being cut out of the vehicle."

Transport for London tweeted: "St Giles's Circus (Tottenham Court Road / Charing Cross Road / Oxford Street) remains blocked on all approaches due to a collision. The emergency services continue to deal. Heavy congestion in the area. Avoid if you can."

A BTP spokesperson told the Standard: “We can confirm that a British Transport Police vehicle was involved in a collision with another vehicle at near Tottenham Court Road in London. The incident happened at approximately 1.30pm today. No officers were injured.

“The vehicle was responding to a nearby emergency and had light lights illuminated. The circumstances to the collision will be investigated by the Metropolitan Police.”

A Met Police spokesman said: "Police were called at around 1.30pm to a car in collision with a van at the junction of Charing Cross Road, Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street.

"London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade are at the scene. There has been no arrest."

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