A RUSH-HOUR crash unfolded at an accident blackspot as a police car passed traffic on its way to an incident.

Police were on their way to deal with the sudden death of a woman in Leigh when a collision occurred on the London-bound A127 at Kent Elms Corner.

The crash involved a white Ford Transit van and a blue Ford Focus. The police car was not involved in the impact.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “A police car with its blue lights on which was responding to a nearby incident was in the vicinity of the incident.” The driver of the Ford Focus had to be cut from his car by firefighters as a precautionary measure after complaining of neck and back pain. The van driver was uninjured.

An ambulance spokesman said: “A man in his forties was taken to Southend Hospital with minor injuries.”

While the incident, at about 7.45am on Friday, was being dealt with, only one lane of the London-bound carriageway was open, leading to large tailbacks.

The road was fully reopened shortly before 9am. There will be no police investigation into the crash.

Earlier this month, a three-car crash at the same spot saw three people suffer minor injuries and caused major hold-ups during the morning rush hour.

The latest crash reignited concern about the safety of the junction, where the A127 Prince Avenue meets Rayleigh Road and Bridgwater Drive.

Lib Dem leader Graham Longley, Southend councillor for Blenheim Park ward, which borders the junction, said: “We have been calling for improvements at this junction for some considerable time as ward councillors.

“Not only do drivers have trouble understanding the right-turn systems, but you have residents who have to go across the road bridge, which some can find very hard to cross, so the whole junction needs looking at.”

He added after extensive work at Progress Road and Cuckoo Corner, Kent Elms Corner was left in between, suffering significantly higher traffic volumes.

He has now vowed to raise the issue again with council officers.

The police spokesman said of the unrelated death: “Officers had been en route to a report of a sudden death in Steeplefield, Leigh.

“A file is being prepared for the coroner.”