Traffic chaos as police car in collision with lorry in Brighton

Witnesses said they saw the marked traffic car smash into the side of the lorry in the Old Steine, Brighton.

The road had to be closed but Sussex Police said nobody was hurt in the crash, which happened at around 8.45.

The damaged car on the back of a flatbed truck (Image: The Argus)

One bystander said: "It was going fast and only put its siren on at the junction. They must have just not seen the truck."

The lorry is understood to have been crossing into St James's Street on a green traffic light when the collision happened.

At its peak, ten police vehicles and a fire engine were at the scene managing big crowds curious to find out what had happened.

What happens to police drivers involved in a crash?

Crashes involving police vehicles are treated no differently to those involving a member of the public.

Sussex Police's vehicle incident policy outlines what must happen at the scene.

Officers will be tested for drug and alcohol impairment and their driving permits will be reviewed. An investigation will begin and dedicated police staff will decide if there are any repercussions for the driver.

During this investigation, drivers could be temporarily suspended from driving a police vehicle or banned from responding to incidents.

As it happened: Police traffic car smashes into side of lorry forcing major road to close

The document says: "Police drivers have a duty to ensure that their standard of driving is consistent with their training, force policies and that they set a good example to other road users. There may, however, be occurrences where a police driver's behaviour or their decision-making falls below the force's expectations."

Buses were diverted along the seafront with stops in the Old Steine and St James's Street blocked by a cordon, which was extended several times as a diesel spill from the crash grew.

Firefighters used absorbent cloths, hoses and an inflatable dam to stop it from reaching nearby drains.

Both vehicles were taken away on the back of trucks. The police car's front end was significantly damaged and the lorry's fuel tank was punctured.

The trail of diesel in the Old Steine, being absorbed with cloth (Image: The Argus)

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "At around 8.45 this morning a police car and a lorry were involved in a collision on St James’s Street, Brighton.

"Emergency services remain at the scene while vehicles are recovered, and the road is temporarily closed in both directions.

"No injures have been reported."