A car that crashed through barriers in Southfields on Wednesday and narrowly avoided landing on the Tube tracks contributed to widespread travel misery this week, alongside traffic jams and train strikes.
The female driver of the white vehicle had suffered a “medical episode” according to the British Transport Police and lost control at the bridge on Cromer Villas Road around 3pm, crashing down the embankment.
TfL immediately suspended the District Line between Parsons Green and Wimbledon while fire crews cut through the fence and winched the vehicle away. It was safe to resume tube travel by 5pm.
The District Line is suspended between Wimbledon & Parsons Green due to a vehicle on the embankment between Southfields & East Putney. pic.twitter.com/nMdEWy27QJ
— Sean Skinner (@SeanUSX) May 8, 2024
An official statement from the transport police said: “Officers were called to the line near Southfields underground station at around 2.55pm today following reports that a car had gone through the fences alongside the railway line.
“Officers attended, alongside colleagues from the London Fire Brigade, Network Rail, and the Metropolitan Police Service and work is ongoing to clear any obstructions from the tracks. It is believed the driver of the vehicle suffered a medical episode and they have been treated by paramedics.”
The crash added to another miserable day of travel for Putney residents. South Western trains were on strike this week, causing commuters to take to their cars, which led to traffic tailbacks across Putney, particularly on the High Street and roads leading to Putney Bridge.
With Hammersmith Bridge still closed, traffic trying to get over the river snaked back all the way into Barnes, with even bus riders complaining that journeys were taking so long they had decided to walk instead. The only plus? Good weather is finally with us, so if you are forced to walk at least it’s a pleasant experience.
