Girl, 6, rushed to hospital after anti-ULEZ vandals cause traffic chaos
A six-year-old girl has been injured in a car crash and rushed to hospital after vandals caused chaos by destroying five sets of traffic lights and several ULEZ cameras in south-east London.
ULEZ cameras have been regularly targeted by vandals throughout London in recent months, leading to fears that the affected neighbourhoods are becoming increasingly dangerous for drivers.
Last night police received reports that ULEZ cameras and traffic lights in Bromley, Lewisham and Orpington had been cut down, which led to a car crash at the spot they had been vandalised.
A young girl and the adult she was travelling with were injured in the crash and taken to hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries.
Photos from the scene show police, fire and ambulance crews in attendance.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: ‘We continue to treat criminal damage to ULEZ cameras seriously.
‘Where there are possible lines of enquiry, local investigators will follow up using a range of investigative approaches including CCTV trawls, witness searches and an assessment of forensic opportunities.’
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Chief Inspector Shome, based in Bromley, told the News Shopper: ‘We are investigating the criminal damage to five sets of traffic lights in the Orpington area overnight which has caused major traffic management issues.
‘Two police units, who should have been available to answer 999 calls, were instead required to spend the morning managing traffic.
‘The people who are carrying out this criminal damage are putting the public at risk.
‘This morning, there has been a collision between two cars on Court Road, at the location of one of the damaged traffic lights, in which a child was injured.
‘I would urge the people carrying out these crimes to stop immediately and think about the danger they are causing to road users.’
A spokesperson for London Fire Brigade said: ‘Firefighters were called to a fuel spillage following a road traffic collision on the junction of Old Priory Avenue and Court Road in Orpington.
‘The Brigade was called at 0848 and the incident was over for firefighters by 0909. One fire engine from Orpington Fire Station attended the scene.’
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