Safety fears after road has 10 bus crashes in 2025

Catford residents had reported "hit-and-run" incidents with buses after their cars were left with "suspicious red paint marks"

Residents living on a south London road that has seen 10 crashes involving buses in seven months are calling for urgent safety measures as they fear someone could be killed.

About 3,700 buses pass through Sandhurst Road and nearby Sangley Road in Catford each day, with 150 to 180 buses serving the area an hour, data shows.

Campaign group Safer Sandhurst and Sangley said many residents had reported "hit-and-run" incidents after their cars were left with "suspicious red paint marks".

Transport for London (TfL) said there had been 85 crashes involving buses on the two roads since July 2021, many of which were "minor incidents". It said only one, in September 2022, involved an injury.

Alison Howard, who lives on Sandhurst Road, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), said: "We're just concerned that at some point someone is going to get killed because of the number of collisions these buses are having."

The LDRS understands TfL looked at alternative route options for the two roads, but these would reportedly result in a significant worsening of bus services for a "large number" of passengers in the wider area.

A spokesperson for Lewisham Council said they had been working closely with residents to resolve the issues and recognised their frustration.

They added: "The council is not responsible for the route and speed of buses, but we have passed on resident concerns to TfL.

"We are in the process of introducing new measures (planters and street furniture) to calm traffic and prevent inconsiderate parking."

'Appropriate action'

Philip Gerhardt, TfL's head of bus performance, said: "We remain fully committed to ensuring the safety of all customers and residents.

"We continue to work with bus operators to ensure that appropriate action is taken against any driver found to be breaking the speed limit."

He added: "Alongside the operator Stagecoach, we are happy to support Lewisham Council with any future proposal they have for Sandhurst Road and continue to explore long-term alternatives."