Suspected tampering of traffic lights at Northampton town centre junction before two-car accident

The lights at the Broad Street / Lady’s Lane junction were reportedly not working from Saturday afternoon onwards.

At about 10am on Sunday, two vehicles were involved in a crash at the same junction and a member of the emergency services subsequently noticed something odd about the traffic light column.

A Northamptonshire County Council spokesman said: “Emergency services attended the scene and it was discovered that a control panel on the lights was open, suggesting potential tampering.

“An engineer later went out and fixed the lights.”

Although numerous emergency crews were called to the scene and one of the vehicles had to be cut open by firefighters, the two drivers were taken to Northampton General Hospital with only minor injuries. The road was re-opened at about 12.05pm.

In an unrelated accident at just before midday on Sunday, a car and two vans crashed at the St Andrew’s Road /Grafton Street junction. Although there were no injuries, one of the signal poles was severely damaged.

The county council spokesman said the accident also put out several other sets of lights that were linked to it.

Engineers were replacing the signal pole and making repairs yesterday (Monday).