Traffic Chaos After Crash Involving Controversial Bollard

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Town centre junction shut for five hours

There was traffic chaos in Wimbledon town centre on Thursday (October 11) after a van overturned on a controversial traffic island.

The van hit a bollard at the junction of Wimbledon Hill Road and Worple Road as it tried to turn right. The driver was able to escape from the accident (below) by clambering out.

Sarah Davies, Lettings Manager at Haart estate agent's took the picture of the scene. She has previously witnessed at least eight drivers collide with the metal bell bollard.

In the latest incident, which took place at 11.15am, the road was closed for more than five hours while spilled fuel was cleared. Several bus routes were diverted and there were traffic delays all around the area.

Merton council, which installed the bollard to protect pedestrians from cars cutting the corner at the busy junction, introduced new road markings earlier this year to prevent accidents of this type.

Merton council leader Stephen Alambritis said he would now be asking council officers for a full report on the road junction, as well as speaking to Haart's. "We must find out why this is happening," he added.

October 12, 2012