Labour MP Trevor Mallard 'grumpy' after car smashed by Parliament security system

Labour MP Trevor Mallard is the latest victim of notorious electronic bollards at Parliament which are regularly catching out innocent drivers.

Mallard's Ford Mondeo station wagon was struck by the rising bollards this evening and remains wedged on the roadway.

"I waited until the lights were green, so it was totally down," he said.

"And as I was leaving, one of them came up and is jammed under the car. I can't get it off."

The sensor-activated bollards were installed in August and are designed to prevent attacks on Parliament.

However, they have already struck a number of slow-moving motorists including Government ministers' limousines.

Staff at the neighbouring Treasury building were now holding a sweepstake on when the next crash would occur, Mallard said.

He was "grumpy" about being the bollards' latest prey. His situation was not eased by the location of the incident - in full view of the Parliamentary Press Gallery.

The noise of the collision had "attracted predators from not very far away", he said.