Call for traffic calming measures on Peterborough city centre road after BMW crashes into theatre steps

The incident happened at about 5pm on Saturday, when a BMW lost control and caused damage to the stone steps outside The New Theatre. The car also destroyed a metal railing.

Now staff at the theatre are calling for action to be taken on Broadway to prevent further accidents - which could be catastrophic on a busy show night at the venue. The theatre is re-opening next week.

Theatre director Richie Doogan-Ross said: “As far as we can ascertain from the Police and the Council’s CCTV control room, a BMW crashed into the steps 5pm on Saturday. The CCTV control room are looking at wider camera coverage to see if they can spot the car in other areas as it will have suffered considerable front end damage.

“Whether the car was driving at excessive speed we don’t know at this moment, however, the road has become a rat-run for speeding cars more recently and it’s only a matter of time until someone is seriously injured.

“As you mention, it’s not worth thinking about the consequences had we have been open and trading with patrons outside. We could have had 1000 people outside and 5pm would be around the time a matinee performance would finish. This comes right at the time we are preparing to re-open next Tuesday having been closed for 14 months and it could not have come at a worse time. Myself and the team have an enormous amount of work to do to get to the opening night and this is really the last thing we needed.

“Cllr Steve Allen is joining us in calling for traffic calming measures. Speed limits are already in place and these drivers are taking to ignore them so this really does seem to be the only option.”

Cllr Allen said there was a ‘major challenge’ with cars speeding into the city along Broadway at dangerous speeds, and said he was happy to support some action to make the road safer.

A Cambridgeshire police spokesman said: “Police were called at 5.01pm on Saturday (7 August) to a report of a car colliding with the railings at the New Theatre, Broadway. The vehicle, a white BMW, left the scene in the direction of Burghley Road. An investigation is underway and we will be working with the theatre to try and identify the driver. Any witnesses, which we haven’t spoken too, should contact police on 101 quoting incident 336 of 7 August.”