A young boy has been rushed to a major trauma centre after being hurt in a crash on the A23 in Thornton Heath this morning, with London’s Air Ambulance among the emergency crews scrambled to the scene.
Paramedics were called to the junction of Colliers Water Lane and London Road just before 7am on Sunday, September 28, following reports of a collision.
KEY FACTS
- What happened: A boy was injured in a crash on the A23 London Road.
- Where: The junction of Colliers Water Lane and London Road, Thornton Heath, in the London Borough of Croydon.
- When: Just before 7am on Sunday, September 28.
- Emergency response: London Ambulance Service crews, an incident response officer, a clinical team manager and London’s Air Ambulance.
- Outcome: The boy was treated at the scene and taken to a major trauma centre; the A23 was closed in both directions.
Ambulance crews were joined at the roadside by an incident response officer and a clinical team manager, while the capital’s air ambulance also flew to the scene — a level of response reserved for the most serious incidents.
The boy was treated by medics at the junction before being taken to hospital. Major trauma centres care for patients with the most serious injuries, with specialist teams on standby around the clock. No further details about his condition have been released.
The A23 London Road was closed in both directions while emergency services dealt with the incident, causing disruption for drivers heading through the area on Sunday morning, with motorists warned to expect long delays around Thornton Heath.
The crash happened in the heart of Thornton Heath, a busy part of the London Borough of Croydon where London Road forms part of the A23 — one of the main routes linking Croydon town centre with Streatham and the run into central London.
What happened this morning
- Just before 7am — London Ambulance Service receives reports of a collision at the Colliers Water Lane junction with London Road and dispatches crews to the scene.
- Shortly afterwards — Paramedics arrive alongside an incident response officer and a clinical team manager, and London’s Air Ambulance is also sent to the scene.
- This morning — The boy is treated at the roadside before being taken to a major trauma centre for further care.
- Sunday morning — The A23 London Road is shut in both directions while emergency crews work at the scene.
London’s Air Ambulance carries some of the capital’s most advanced trauma medics and is regularly scrambled to the city’s most serious emergencies, including an incident on Herbert Road in Woolwich which also saw the helicopter land in a residential street.
Advice for drivers
- Check traffic updates before setting out — the A23 is one of the main routes between Croydon and central London, so closures can cause significant delays on surrounding streets.
- Follow signed diversions and allow extra time for journeys through Thornton Heath.
- If you were near Colliers Water Lane just before 7am and saw what happened, or have dashcam footage, police will want to hear from you. As with other serious collisions in the capital, including a fatal crash in Enfield, witness accounts can prove vital in establishing what happened.
Drivers are urged to find alternative routes while the investigation continues, and bus services through the area may also face disruption. Commuters heading into Croydon town centre or towards Streatham should allow extra time and check live travel updates before leaving. The road is expected to reopen once police have completed their work at the scene, though no timeframe has been given.
Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are continuing. No further details have been released at this stage. London Streets will update this story as more information emerges.
