A POLICEMAN was rushed to hospital with a head wound after the speeding cop car he was travelling in collided with a civilian Volkswagen at a busy crossroads. The silver Vauxhall Astra was answering a 999 call when it crashed at the junction of Euston Roa

A POLICEMAN was rushed to hospital with a head wound after the speeding cop car he was travelling in collided with a civilian Volkswagen at a busy crossroads.

The silver Vauxhall Astra was answering a 999 call when it crashed at the junction of Euston Road, Gray's Inn Road, York Way and Pentonville Road, King's Cross, at 10.45am on Friday.

A 32-year-old police constable suffered head and neck injuries and was taken by ambulance to The Whittington Hospital, in Magdala Avenue, Archway.

A spokeswoman for Islington police said he was a passenger in the police car, which had been travelling south along Gray's Inn Road.

The spokeswoman insisted the patrol car has its sirens and flashing lights on, despite an eyewitness report to the contrary.

The driver of the Volkswagen, which had been travelling east along Euston Road, escaped uninjured.

The Police Driving Standards Unit is investigating the cause of the accident.

The spokeswoman said: "On Friday, August 27, at approximately 10.45pm a police car was responding to an emergency call when it was in a collision with another car.

"The police car had its emergency equipment on as it travelled along Gray's Inn Road through the junction with Pentonville Road and Euston Road. The other car had been driving along Euston Road towards Pentonville Road when the two cars collided.

"As is standard procedure, this is subject to an internal investigation by the Police Driving Standards Unit, in conjunction with the Crown Prosecution Service."

The spokeswoman described the police constable's injuries as "minor". He has since been released from hospital but was still off sick on Tuesday.

Community campaigners have long been calling for safety improvements at the junction, which is one of the busiest in London. A 20mph speed limit is to be introduced in nearby Wharfdale Road - a residential street which is part of the so-called "King's Cross gyratory" one-way system.

King's Cross resident Stephan Schulte said: "This is just another reason why the gyratory system needs to be rethought.