Whitehall lockdown lifted after abandoned car found near Downing Street

Police respond to a security alert in Whitehall (Picture: James Veysey/Shutterstock)

Whitehall in central London was in lockdown as police investigated a suspicious vehicle.

The major road in Westminster was cordoned off in both directions by police after they were called to security alert over an ‘abandoned vehicle’.

Civil servants were unable to leave their buildings and no one was allowed to enter,the Independent have reported.

The emergency response comes not long after a collision near Downing Street,which police said is not connected to the vehicle incident.

The Westminster branch of the Met Police said on X: ‘A cordon is in place at the southern end of Whitehall as a precautionary measure while officers investigate a suspicious vehicle in the vicinity of Downing Street.

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Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.‘It is not linked to a separate road traffic collision involving a coach and a pedestrian in nearby Abingdon Street.’Twenty minutes later,they added: ‘This incident has now been resolved and cordons will be lifted shortly.;