A MOTORIST was lucky to walk away from a smash near to the Green Man roundabout.

The incident has prompted residents living nearby to call for speed cameras or humps in the road in Hollybush Hill, which is a 30mph road.

The crash happened at about 8.45am yesterday morning and the driver of the Black Toyota Supra sports car lost control of the vehicle and hit a wall, which is believed to be private property, and lamppost in Hollybush Hill.

The road had to be closed for about 20 minutes and London Fire Brigade joined police and paramedics at the scene, although only as a precaution.

A police spokeswoman said the driver was not arrested and there appeared to be no obvious explanation for how or why the collision happened, although the road conditions were poor, according to the reporting officer.

The driver, believed to be from the Forest Gate area, was a 43-year-old man and he was taken to Whipps Cross Hospital as a precaution as he was suffering neck and back pain.

Ernest Joulian who lives in nearby New Wanstead was one of the first on the scene and he called an ambulance.

The 50-year-old said: "A friend and I went out to see what happened.

"The driver was hurt and had blood up both arms.

"He was really shaken but after a while calmed down.

"I think this is a death bend and it definitely needs some sort of one way system or speed cameras."

Lynne Smith, also of New Wanstead, said: "I heard the crash and there was an enormous bang.

"It looked like the driver was lucky to be alive.

"These roads are used like race tracks and I think the council needs to put in some speed cameras or sleeping policemen but the council always say no because the roads are often used by emergency services.

"I have seen so many accidents on this stretch of road, it's lucky the car didn't go off the railway bridge further along the road."

In August last year a Ford Probe smashed into two parked vehicles and flipped on to it s roof after a terrifying crash.

The accident, which happened a fortnight after another incident, happened in New Wanstead and prompted residents to call for speed cameras and flashing speed signs.

Two weeks earlier a driver lost control and crashed into the side of an estate agent's office at the junction with Wanstead High Street.

The crash was discussed at a meeting of Redbridge Council's Area One Committee on Tuesday, July 26.

Sgt Jon Harwood said the report into the accident was not available but he reassured residents and councillors that speeding in the area was more of a perceived problem than an actual one.

He said officers had carried out two speed gun surveys in Hollybush Hill earlier this month.

About eight hours were spent recording the speed of traffic on July 7 and 20 and over the course of the two days eight speeding tickets were issued and one car was seized for having no insurance.

Mr Harwood, of Wanstead Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: "Most of the areas highlighted to us as having problems with speed, we take the speed gun out and we prove that the perception is worse than the speed itself."

A spokeswomman for Redbridge Council said: "We are aware of the recent accident but have had no details from the police yet so cannot comment on the likely cause.

"Speed cameras in London are installed by the London Camera Partnership who require that camera sites must have had four or more 'killed or seriously injured' speed related accidents in a three year period, this location does not have an accident history which meets this requirement.

"Additionally, Transport for London have advised that there are no further funds for fixed speed cameras this year or for the foreseeable future so there will be no new installations across London.

"Hollybush Hill is a strategic route for the emergency services and they would object to speed humps should these be proposed as a traffic calming measure.

"The council have not undertaken works in Hollybush Hill very recently but did install some bend signs and slow markings a couple of years ago."

If you are the driver who had the lucky escape, or you know the driver, call Guardian reporter Ryan McCarthy on 07795 308149.