Neighbours of Carnegie Library express concern about serious road crashes in the area
Residents who live near the Carnegie Library on Herne Hill Road have been in touch with Brixton Buzz to voice their safety concerns after a series of serious road crashes …
Black News 
Residents who live near the Carnegie Library on Herne Hill Road have been in touch with Brixton Buzz to voice their safety concerns after a series of serious road crashes caused by high-speed police chases and cars routinely driving dangerously speeds.
They told us:
Incident 1: New Year’s Day 2025 (pictured above)
A high-speed police pursuit ended with a vehicle exploding into flames outside the library. Several cars belonging to residents were damaged and some were completely written off.
The scene was like something from an action movie or TV drama. Families looked on in horror as a single police officer from an unmarked car —with a barking Alsatian—deployed CS gas across a crowded pedestrian area while some of the occupants of the burning car fled as others were detained.
We believe there was even a small child in the fleeing vehicle. The officer’s conduct was highly questionable, focusing on searching for a package of drugs he claimed was tossed from the car while a fire raged and the scared public tried to shield from the CS gas and blazing fumes.
No witness statements were taken, and despite the best efforts of local residents, no clear answers were given from the police in the following weeks. All enquiries were shut down.
As we understand it, witness statements are a compulsory and significant aspect of an ‘accident investigation book’ when so-called roadside furniture is damaged as it was on this and the following occasion. Also, we understand a solo police officer in an unmarked car is not supposed to be engaged in a high-speed pursuit.
Incident 2: January 30th 2026 (pictured above)
A busy morning where a marked police car lost control and slammed into the library wall. Again no witness statements, no answers on follow up. An ambulance crew treated an officer on the steps of the library.
Thankfully no one else was seriously injured, but it could have easily ended in loss of life. The damage to the listed library’s brick wall, metal railings and pedestrian crossing beacons was significant and is still evident. It’s easy to see how this could have gone another way.
The Failure of Infrastructure
The Carnegie Library has always been popular as a place to work or study but increased investment has seen it grow into a vibrant hub.
The council built a small gym there. Daily classes for young and old fill its once empty halls. It now has a cafe which has further increased it’s popularity.
Herne Hill Road and its surrounding streets contain schools and churches. Ruskin Park alone brings in a steady flow of pedestrians. It is fair to say that it has become very busy here.
The traffic needs to be slowed down and police need to exercise extreme caution when driving through this area.
The current speed bumps are wholly inadequate, signage is lacking, and there are no speed enforcement cameras of any kind. But our biggest issue is the road being used for high-speed pursuits that are putting the public at risk.
We have raised this matter with the council, the police and Helen Hayes who is our local MP. She raised concerns on our behalf with Lambeth Council but has had bounce back, particularly on the issue of the police.
Lightning has already struck twice and a third time may not prove to be so lucky.
[Article and photos by Neighbours of Carnegie Library]
