Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2015

Florence Lowe

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2015-0415, written 29 Oct 2015. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report29 Oct 2015
Reference2015-0415
DeceasedFlorence Lowe
CoronerAnthony Curzon
Coroner areaStoke-on-Trent & North Staffordshire
CategoryRoad (Highways Safety) related deaths
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses publishednone published

The report

Text recovered by OCR from a scanned PDF. OCR is imperfect: check anything you rely on against the source PDF. Reproduced verbatim, including the scan's own layout.

ANNEX A

REGULATION 28: REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS (1)

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO:

1.
Project Engineer — Casualty Investigation
Accident Investigation Unit

Staffordshire County Council

1 Staffordshire Place

Stafford

ST16 2LP

CORONER

lam Anthony Frederick Curzon assistant coroner, for the coroner area of Stoke-on-Trent
& North Staffordshire.

CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS

| make this report under paragraph 7, Schedule 5, of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009
and regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013.
INVESTIGATION and INQUEST

On 24" November 2014 | commenced an investigation into the death of Florence
Margaret Lowe aged 85 years. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on
21" August 2015. The conclusion of the inquest was that Miss Lowe died from multiple
chest injuries as a result of a road traffic collision.
CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH
At 10.05pm on 18" November 2014 whilst attempting to cross the A519 Clayton Road,
Newcastle-under-Lyme, which at the point of collision is a 3 lane highway, two lanes
northbound separated from one lane southbound by a solid white line whilst southbound
there is a broken white line. The point of impact was adjacent to a petrol station and a
property named ‘Fairfield’. She was struck by a vehicle travelling south after
walking/running across 2+ lanes. Speed did not play any part in this accident.
CORONER’S CONCERNS

During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern. In
my opinion there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken. In the
circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you.

The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows. —

1. During the course of the evidence my attention was drawn to the fact that the road is
only subject to the statutory limit of 6Omph whilst it has residential properties at
places along its length, a busy petrol station and large fay-by southbound and a
busy hotel northbound on joining the A519 upon leaving the M6 at junction 15.

2. Of the other roads approaching this junction the major one is the A500 dual
carriageway, now subject to 50mph due to several fatal accidents, and from the
south being 30mph, being 2 lanes only, narrow and houses in close proximity to the
road.

3. Approximately a quarter of a mile from this incident northbound the road enters a

roundabout with large residential areas accessing from both right and left but no

pedestrian crossing on the south side of the roundabout.

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and | believe you and/or
your organisation have the power to take such action.

1. It appears that the speed limit of 60mph may not be considered appropriate for this
area and consideration should be given to reducing it to at least 5Omph, if not
40mph.

Consideration should be given to a pedestrian crossing on the approach to the
roundabout at the Westbury Park/Northwood Lane junctions.

YOUR RESPONSE

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report,
namely by Friday 8" January 2015 to take account of the Christmas and New Year
holiday period. |, the coroner, may extend the period.

Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out
the timetable for action. Otherwise you must explain why no action is proposed.

COPIES and PUBLICATION

| have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following Interested
Persons:-

1. Chief Coroner, Regulation 28 Reports, Chief Coroner’s Office, 11" Floor Thomas
More Building, Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand, London, WC2A 2LL

2. TERR (brother of the deceased)
3. CMG Regional CIU, Eastgate Street, Stafford, ST16 2DQ

lam also under a duty to send the Chief Coroner a copy of your response.

The Chief Coroner may publish either or both in a complete or redacted or summary
form. He may send a copy of this report to any person who he believes may find it useful
or of interest. You may make representations to me, the coroner, at the time of your
response, about the release or the publication of your response by the Chief Coroner.

N

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