Father condemns London Road safety after fatal cycling accident

Transport for London's road safety policy was today labelled "unacceptable" by the father of a cyclist killed by a lorry.

The father of the 26 year said TfL should have taken action at a junction in King's Cross before his daughter was crushed to death there while travelling to work.

Her inquest, held at St Pancras coroner's court, heard there had been 22 collisions at the traffic lights in the three years before the cyclist was killed on 9 March last year.
These were classed as "slight collisions" resulting in minor injuries at worst. They involved nine cyclists and 13 pedestrians.

The coroner Andrew Reid heard how the cyclist died at traffic lights in Pentonville Road at the junction of Penton Rise. She was hit by a 7.5-tonne lorry as it turned left. She died at the Royal London Hospital. Witnesses said they saw another cyclist in front of Miss Wright dart in front of the lorry moments before the accident.

The lorry driver told the inquest he stopped on the right side of the junction to give himself room to turn left.

He said there were no cyclists in the advanced stop box in front of him and the first cyclist moved across him causing him to brake. He said: "It was as if they came from nowhere."

Chris Lines, head of TfL's Road Safety Unit, told the inquest that despite the number of "slight collisions" at the junction it was not deemed a high priority and changes were not made due to budget constraints.

Since the 26 year olds death TfL has altered the junction to make it safer. It is due to introduce a speed camera as well as a crossing for cyclists and pedestrians.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Dr Reid said it was a result of a combination of factors including road layout and a blind spot in the lorry drivers mirrors.

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