Residents are begging for improved safety on a potentially “deadly” road after a BMW smashed into a lamppost in Burnt Ash Lane on Wednesday (April 23) night.

One neighbour described the “screeching” tyres and loud bang as the car spun 360 degrees - sending the hot top of a lamppost through a resident’s door during the crash at around 9.50pm.

News Shopper: Burnt Ash Lane resident Mike Cripps next to the broken lamppost

There are calls for speeding cameras along the stretch of road between Bromley and Grove Park where cars “speed as if it were a race track”.

A 25-year-old man was taken to Lewisham Hospital with hand injuries following the crash and emergency services have been criticised for their delayed response – with London Ambulance Service (LAS) arriving around an hour and a half after they were called.

Mike Cripps, 43, who lives on Burnt Ash Lane, told News Shopper: “There was a massive screeching tyre noise, within seconds there was a massive bang.

The car had obviously done 360 degrees. It was facing the wrong way.

“He had doughnuted in the middle of the road, which in itself is deadly if someone’s coming the other way. He took out the lamppost and it smashed through a neighbour’s front door.

News Shopper: The top of the lamppost went through a resident's door

“If someone had been around, they would have been a goner.

“It is a deadly, deadly road in my opinion. The consequences could have been an awful lot worse for him and other people.

“Someone will be tragically killed unless something is done about it.”

The father-of-two went on to say he has lived in the road for just five months and witnessed six crashes while he claims other residents say they can still “hear the screams” of a female cyclist hit around 18 months ago.

The sales manager for a security company added: “We have got a bit used to the crashes. It is getting beyond a joke, it is absolutely constant.

“It is a thoroughfare through to Downham but it is not a race track, it is a residential road.”

He says there were around six calls made to emergency services but it took the police around 50 minutes to arrive and LAS around an hour and a half.

Mr Cripps said: “My other concern is why it took the Met and ambulance so long.

“The LAS was an absolute joke, it was an hour and a half before they arrived. It beggars belief.

“There was a bloke with blood coming from his hands. We are not medical people, we didn’t know what internal injuries he might have had.”

An LAS spokesman apologised for the delay and says the incident was not categorised as immediately life-threatening as the patient was alert and breathing normally.

They said: “As the patient was reported to be alert and breathing normally, the incident was not categorised as immediately life threatening.

“An ambulance was originally dispatched at 10.20pm but cancelled for what we assessed as a higher priority call in the area.

“We are sorry it took longer than we would have liked to reach the patient and apologise for any distress caused but we always prioritise our response to patients in a life threatening condition.”

A Met spokesman added: “The call was assessed and was given an S grade (significant) which under national call handling standards necessitates a police officer should be at the scene within 0-60 minutes.

“Officers arrived on scene in 51 minutes within the 60 minute period.

“When officers arrived at the location a 25-year-old man was found at the scene with non-life-threatening injuries.

“Officers remained on scene until the vehicle was recovered and council attended to clear up debris.”