Three people seriously hurt after a rickshaw and bus collide in central London

A rickshaw rider and two passengers have been critically injured after a bus hit them in central London.

One of the three victims were rushed to a major trauma center for treatment after the incident, which took place on Charing Cross Road in the early hours of Monday morning.

The other two were taken to local hospitals, a spokesperson for London Ambulance Service said.

A section of the busy street, which leads towards Trafalgar Square and past several West End theaters, has been closed this morning.

Pictures from the scene show an area cordoned off outside the Phoenix theater, a short distance south from Tottenham Court Road station.

The rickshaw, decorated with lights and pink feathers, is seen lying on one side next to the N19 bus to Clapham Junction, which has a damaged front.

Diversions were in place for a number of night buses.

Rickshaws decorated with bright lights and blasting pop music are a regular sight in the center of the capital, providing an unusual transport option for tourists visiting theaterland.

Formally known as ‘pedicabs’, the vehicles are largely unregulated but new rules and standards were introduced in a law passed in Parliament last year.

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: ‘We were called at 1.07am today (25 August) to reports of a road traffic collision at the junction of Charing Cross Road and Phoenix Street.

‘We sent resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, an advanced paramedic, a paramedic in a fast response car and an incident response officer. We also dispatched a trauma team in a car from London’s Air Ambulance.

‘We treated three people. We took one patient to a major trauma center and two patients to local hospitals.’

Inquiries are being led by specialist officers from the Met’s Alperton Traffic Garage and Forensic Collision Investigation Unit.

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