A six-year-old girl and an adult have been hospitalized after a collision in Orpington at a location where traffic lights and ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) cameras were vandalized overnight.

The incident was reported to the police shortly before 8:30 am today, involving two vehicles at the site of one of the damaged traffic lights on Court Road. The collision resulted in head injuries to both individuals, but their conditions have been assessed as non-life-threatening.

The scene was attended by police, ambulance, and fire crews, with firefighters arriving at 8:48 am to clear a fuel spillage. They successfully managed the incident, concluding their efforts by 9:09 am.

Police are investigating the criminal damage to five sets of traffic lights in the Orpington area, which occurred overnight on January 18. This vandalism forced two police units to handle traffic management rather than responding to emergency 999 calls, causing significant disruptions.

Chief Inspector Priya Shome expressed concerns about the safety risks posed by the vandals and urged them to consider the consequences of their actions on road users.

According to a resident’s account, the cameras were cut down at the junction of Spur Road and Court Road, leaving the traffic lights inoperative. Photographs from the scene depict fallen camera poles and vehicles attempting to navigate the junction without functional traffic lights.

While many Orpington residents understand the desire to protest the ULEZ expansion, they emphasize that it becomes dangerous when it disrupts traffic lights, potentially jeopardizing road safety.

Chief Inspector Shome, based in Bromley, emphasized, “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.”

She continued, “The people who are carrying out this criminal damage are putting the public at risk. This morning, there was 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.”

The Metropolitan Police confirmed the incident, stating, “Police were called shortly before 08.30hrs on Thursday, 18 January. Two vehicles were involved in a collision. An adult and a six-year-old girl were taken to hospital to be treated for head injuries. Their condition has been assessed as non-life-threatening.”

The London Fire Brigade also responded to the incident, addressing a fuel spillage following the collision at the junction of Old Priory Avenue and Court Road in Orpington. One fire engine from Orpington Fire Station attended the scene