Man fighting for life after being hit by bus

Staff reporter(wp/es):

A young man was left fighting for life in hospital after he was hit by a bus on one of London’s busiest shopping streets.

The 27-year-old man suffered a severe head injury after he was hit by a bus on Regent Street on Saturday evening. 

Police and paramedics raced to the scene of the crash at the junction with Conduit Street shortly after 9pm.

The pedestrian was rushed to a central London hospital where he remained in a life threatening condition on Sunday morning, police said.

David Videcette, who witnessed the aftermath of the crash, wrote on Twitter: “Serious road traffic accident – bus vs a pedestrian – very sad. Regent Street is completely blocked northbound and gridlocked southbound.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “The bus driver stopped at the scene.

"He was not arrested and is assisting detectives with their enquires.”

Detectives from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit are investigating the collision and appealing for witnesses.

Schoolboy Nahid Islam, 15, killed

Pic:Nahid Islam, 15 
Crime reporter(wp/es):

A schoolboy was killed as he cycled to the shops to collect a cake for his 16th birthday party, his heartbroken family revealed today.

Nahid Islam, 15, was cycling close to a zebra crossing near his home in Belsize Park, north London, on Saturday afternoon when he was hit by an oncoming motorcycle. 

Paramedics battled to save him at the roadside but the Regent High School pupil was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple injuries at 2.40pm.

Devastated family members told the Standard the “loveable” teenager had been rushing to meet his mother to help bring home the cake for a party the following afternoon.

Dozens of friends and relatives gathered last night for a vigil at the junction on Malden Road and Queen’s  Crescent, half a mile from the family’s home, which has been covered in a sea of floral tributes, candles and birthday balloons.

Nahid’s father, Mohammed Fokrul Islam, 50, said he “would never forget” his cricket-loving son and proudly spoke of how the teenager had already memorised the Koran.

His older brother, Sunny Rahman, a 21-year-old student, said: “He was the best little brother, he was loved by everyone. 

“No one would had a bad word to say about him never once saw him angry in his entire life.”

Relatives said Nahid’s mother, Sultana Begum, was in a state of shock after following a crowd of people to the junction to see her youngest son lying in the middle of the road.

His cousin, Lupa Kazi, 19, said: “She fainted. She’s not eating or anything, she’s in such a state.

“He was a mummy’s boy. He was someone you could rely on – he always put other people before himself.

“All his school friends came down and were crying and saying ‘We can’t imagine history lessons without him.’”

Prayers were said yesterday at the nearby Baitul Amman mosque and also by family members in Bangladesh for the teenager.

Another cousin, Shomon Rahman, said: “He was so jolly all the time. Every time he laughed, you would laugh with him.

“His mum called him up and said, ‘It’s quite a big cake, I need your help to carry it.’ He must have been rushing.”

Witness Hayley Hemingway Hare, who passed the scene soon after the accident happened, said: “People were shaking, saying they felt sick and looking white as sheets.

“It’s bad enough when it’s an adult but when you find out its a teenager it hits you so much harder.”

A Met police spokesman said: “Officers are appealing for anyone who was in the area and witnessed the collision, or the events leading up to the collision, to contact police.

“In particular, officers are keen to trace a white Vauxhall Mokka which stopped at a pedestrian crossing just in front of where the collision occurred. This car was not involved in the collision but the occupants may have seen what happened.”

The motorcyclist stopped at the scene and was not injured in the crash. There have been no arrests.

Southern Rail bosses warn passengers to 'not attempt to travel' during strike

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Hundreds of thousands of commuters suffered massive disruption again today even before a series of strikes by Southern train drivers brings the network to a halt.

Southern passengers have been told they should “not attempt to travel” during three days of industrial action set to take place tomorrow, Wednesday and Friday.

GTR, Southern’s owners, went to the Court of Appeal today in a last ditch attempt to get the strikes called off.

It is the worst industrial dispute across the South since the three-month long signal workers strikes more than 20 years ago.

But many trains were cancelled this morning and some routes left without any service due to an on-going overtime ban by drivers.

Gatwick Express services were halved running every 30 minutes instead of 15 and were only operating between Victoria and Gatwick Airport instead of Brighton.

Southern said it was unable to run services to and from Beckenham Junction or between East Croydon and Milton Keynes Central via Kensington Olympia.

Direct services between London and either Portsmouth or Southampton were cancelled.

Disruption affected all Southern’s 10 route divisions with West London and Metro services part closed.

The company warned: “There may be further cancellations, due to day-to-day issues.”

There was also massive disruption during the morning peak on Southeastern services into London.

A major signalling problem between Hastings and Tunbridge Wells blocked the lines in both directions with buses replacing trains.

Disruption lasted until mid-morning with many commuters taking three hours or more to reach London.

GTR tried to get the strikes stopped in the High Court last week, declaring they were illegal under EU law, but lost the case.

It has now appealed against the ruling, with The Court of Appeal expected to give its decision later today.

Charles Horton, GTR chief executive of GTR, parent company of Southern said: “We have a duty to our passengers to do all we can to prevent the wholly unjustified industrial action continuing.”

Businesses will count the cost as staff fail to turn up at what, for many, is the busiest time of the year.

On strike days the only full service operating across a huge swathe of Southern England will be Thameslink and those trains are forecast to be overcrowded.

The nine month long dispute is over Southern’s changes to the role of the guard and the implementation of more driver-only (DOO) trains. 

The company says the changes will improve service, the unions say they are unsafe – claims robustly denied.

Union officials were meeting with the Office of Rail Regulation today to explain their opposition to DOO.

The whole dispute now centres on a single issue; the unions want a deal similar to that agreed with ScotRail, which also introduced staff changes and increased DOO operations.

The company agreed that all future DOO services would carry two qualified members of staff. If two members of staff are not available the train won’t run.

The unions want Southern to give the same commitment. The company, however, insists that while the “vast majority” of trains will continue to carry two members of staff in “exceptional circumstances” a train will still operate with just the driver.

The number of trains that could run with just the driver is thought to be under one per cent; but neither the unions nor the company will back down.

Knifeman 'chases terrified bystanders after attacking man on board a train'

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A knifeman chased and threatened terrified bystanders after stabbing a passenger on a train, witnesses said.

Police swarmed on Forest Hill station after the "horrific" attack at about lunchtime. 

Passengers fled the station screaming with terror after the armed man reportedly shouted threats at people on the scene in south London.

Witnesses said there was a huge presence of emergency services at the station as they warned people to avoid the area as the attacker was "ranting on the streets".

Juliette Cooper, 39, was jogging near the station when she heard screams.

She said: “I spoke to my daughter’s friend who was on the train and she said a man with a knife was going around and stabbing people

“She said everyone literally ran off the train at Forest Hill where he got off as well.

“He had a wild look in his eye."

Another woman said said dozens of passengers fled the station as she arrived at Forest Hill at around 1.30pm.

She told the Standard: “Around 30 people were running out of the station screaming. There was a guy there pacing around and shouting ‘I’ll take everyone on’.

“I asked people what had happened and they said he had stabbed someone with a  knife. I called the police."

A British Transport Police spokeswoman confirmed officers were called at 1.18pm to reports of a serious assault and that a man had been arrested. 

A statement read: "One person has been arrested on suspicion of GBH following the incident and is currently in police custody.

"One man was treated by ambulance staff at the scene and is currently en route to hospital."

Six people injured after Ferrari 'mounts pavement' and crashes in Battersea

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Six people have been rushed to hospital after a Ferrarimounted the pavement and crashed in south-west London.

Police were called to the scene of the crash at 10.29am on Monday after reports a car had hit a group of teenagers on Battersea Park Road.

Pictures from the scene showed a red Ferrari with its windscreen cracked on one side and damage to one of its headlights.

Witnesses described the "horrible" scene after reports a car hit a group of pedestrians, sending one flying over railings and through the back window of a car on a street below.

One resident who was woken up by the crash said: "I heard a boom and then just people screaming and crying.

"I got up to take a look and people were going crazy. 

"There were people everywhere. Somebody I think fell over the wall and people were coming down to help. They all looked young."

Another passerby, who gave her name only as Hannah and who works close to the scene of the crash, told the Standard: "We could tell it was obviously pretty serious by the amount of ambulances - about six - that were on the road, a police truck and a number of police cars.

"I just hope that everyone involved is okay, such a horrible thing to happen right before Christmas."

Metropolitan police officers, including a horse unit, London Air Ambulance and London Ambulance Service rushed to Battersea Park Road just before 10.30am on Monday.

A spokesman for the Met Police said: “We were called to reports of a car in collision with pedestrians in Battersea Park Road.

"Six people have been injured and are being treated at the scene by paramedics. We await an update on their condition but injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

"The driver stopped at the scene. Enquiries continue."

An LAS spokeswoman added: “We were called at 10:28am to reports of a road traffic collision near Kirtling Street at the junction with Battersea Park Road.

“We sent a paramedic on a motorcycle, four ambulance crews, an advanced paramedic and an incident response officer to the scene alongside our hazardous area response team. 

"London’s Air Ambulance was also dispatched.

“We treated six patients at the scene and took them to hospital.”

Campaigners vow to BLOCK £50m Holocaust memorial near Parliament

Political reporter(wp/es):

Campaigners have pledged to block a £50 million national Holocaust memorial from being built next to Parliament.

Skyline Campaign activists revealed talks had taken place with the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation over an idea to shift the planned monument and learning centre from Victoria Tower Gardens.

The group, which fights to prevent development of “badly designed tall buildings” in London, claim the plans are unsuitable for one of the capital’s most treasured spots.

Barbara Weiss, from the Skyline Campaign, said: “This is nothing against a memorial or learning centre to educate people about the Holocaust, it is about protecting one of London’s most beautiful assets.

“If it was a school or art gallery our position would be the same. Parks should not be built on. 

“We have had civilised conversations with the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation and we are trying to dissuade them.

“There are a growing number of people who are backing us and in my experience if you get enough traction people do tend to listen.”

Campaigners said better options are available for the tribute and urged authorities to consider College Green behind Westminster Abbey as an alternative.

An online petition calling for a stop to any building work in Victoria Tower Gardens passed 150 signatures since it was launched by the group two weeks ago. 

Campaigners previously challenged construction of the Paddington Pole, a 72-storey skyscraper proposed next to the station, which was eventually withdrawn.

Former Prime Minister David Cameron revealed in January a national memorial would be built next to Parliament by the end of next year.

He said the monument would show the importance Britain placed on preserving memory of the Holocaust and added it would stand beside Parliament as a “statement of British values”.

In September, the Government invited designers and architects from across the world to submit blueprints for the memorial and learning centre.

The winning designs are set to be exhibited in London in January before an overall winner is announced next summer.

Sir Peter Bazalgette, chairman of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation, said: "Ensuring that the memory and the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten lies at the heart of Britain’s values as a nation and this important new national landmark will stand as a permanent reminder of our commitment as a country to stand against prejudice and hatred in all its forms.

"I am delighted we have secured a site at the heart of our democracy and to have such strong cross-party support for the memorial and the learning centre which will accompany it. 

"They will be a logical and harmonious addition to the space, joining the existing memorials which can be viewed as a physical representation of the United Kingdom’s conscience and values."

British Airways flight crew held-up at gunpoint

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A British Airways flight crew were held-up at gunpoint by an armed robber in the Brazilian city of Rio.

Air steward Michael Nicholas, 45, said he was walking back to a hotel from a barbecue with 10 other colleagues when the gunman pounced.

The attacker held the gun against one of the crew’s face before forcing him and his son to hand over their phones and money, the Sun reported.

Describing the ordeal on his Facebook page, Mr Nicholas wrote: "One of our crew had a gun held to his face while his son and him were robbed.

“Half of us were unaware anything was going on behind us until we heard the commotion. Luckily, the son gave the robber his phone and money and they left.

“We are all safe and well but a little shaken. The local police refused to attend the hotel and BA security are on the case and dealing with this.”

Mr Nicholas, from Preston Candover, Hampshire, urged fellow crew members to take care if they ventured out of the hotel in Rio after dark and travel by taxi.

The Foreign Office website advises travellers to Brazil to hand over any valuables if threatened and not to resist attackers as they may be armed or under the influence of drugs.

A BA spokesman told the Sun: “We are supporting our crew and are thankful that they weren’t harmed.

“We take the safety of our pilots and cabin crew very seriously and issue them with information and advice for all the destinations to which we fly – specifying any extra precautions that should be taken in particular cities.

"We will be reiterating our advice to crew operating to Rio de Janeiro, including that they should remain vigilant when outside the hotel. We will now also be advising that they book taxis when travelling around the city.”