THESE astounding pictures show the crater which has opened up in Penge High Street, causing a headache for Thames Water and traffic problems for motorists.

Why the hole suddenly appeared in the road on Saturday afternoon (September 7) is not yet known and engineers are on site trying to determine the cause.

Diversions are in operation while this investigation is underway and are set to remain while repair works are carried out.

News Shopper: It is not known why the hole has opened up in Penge High Street.

The road is closed southbound between Croydon Road (A213)/ Green Lane and Cottingham Road.

Southbound traffic can go as far as Cottingham Road, opposite Sainsbury’s, but no large vehicles are allowed past the main A213 junction.

Northbound traffic towards Crystal Palace is using the bus lane.

Bus routes 194, 227, 358 and N3 are on diversion.

A Thames Water spokesman said: “A four metre-deep crater has appeared in Penge High Street after the road surface caved in, damaging one of our trunk sewers.

“While we don’t yet know what the cause of this problem is, we are taking ownership of it because we also have three foot-wide water mains running nearby and we cannot afford to have them damaged too.”

And a Bromley Council spokesman says it is not yet known how long the repair works will take.

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