Tottenham Court Road bus crash sees double decker plough into busy cafe

05 March 2024 , 11:16

639     0

Tottenham Court Road bus crash sees double decker plough into busy cafe

A double decker has ploughed into a busy cafe next to Tottenham Court Road station.

A huge police and fire crew presence is currently on the scene after the yellow bus smashed into a retail unit between Costa Coffee and All Bar One on New Oxford Street.

According to the London Fire Brigade, one man sustained injuries but managed to escape from the bus after it crashed. Paramedics are tending to him at the scene.

Shocking images circulating on social media show the bus poking out of the wall of the Costa cafe. Broken shards of glass are seen strewn across the pavement. The large emegency response can also be seen, with several ambulances and fire engines. Firefighters appear to be assessing the extent of the damage.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson told The Mirror in a statement: "Firefighters are at the scene of a road traffic collision on New Oxford Street in Soho. One double decker bus collided into the front of a building. One man left the bus before the Brigade's arrival and is being assessed on scene by London Ambulance Service crews. There are currently no further reports of injuries. Road closures are in place and people are advised to avoid the area at this time. The Brigade was called at 1011. Two fire engines and two fire and rescue units from Soho, Euston and Battersea fire stations are at the scene."

Family of great-great-gran, 83, killed by dog call for Bully breed to be banned

The bus smashed into a retail unit between Costa and All Bar One (Belinda Jiao)

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson told The Mirror: "We were called at 10:16hrs on Tuesday, 5 March to reports that a bus had collided with a pub in New Oxford Street, WC1. Officers responded. There were no reports of any injuries."

Reports suggest the bus crashed in to an empty retail unit between All Bar One and Costa. The crash was close to a Thames Water roadworks site, MyLondon reported.

A lorry brought in to remove the bus (Belinda Jiao)

It's believed that the unit was being used for an art installation at the time, but it's unknown whether anyone was inside or riding on the bus when it crashed. It's also unclear if either Costa or All Bar One sustained damage.

It's currently unclear whether the bus was a Transport for London service because the company's vehicles are usually red. It may have been painted over for an advertising campaign, or could be another type of bus.

A number of buses have been diverted. New Oxford Street is closed in both directions between the junctions with the A400 Charing Cross Road and Earnshaw Street.

This is a breaking news story. Follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, Twitter, Facebook or visit The Mirror homepage.

Ryan Fahey