Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2017

Timothy Atkins

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2017-0265, written 9 Nov 2017. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report9 Nov 2017
Reference2017-0265
DeceasedTimothy Atkins
CoronerDavid Horsley
Coroner areaPortsmouth and South East Hampshire
CategoryRoad (Highways Safety) related deaths
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses published1

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.

The Coroner's Court
1 Guildhall Square
Portsmouth

POI 2G]

David C. Horsley LLB, Solicitor
Her Majesty's Coroner
for Portsmouth and

South East Hampshire

Regulation 28: REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS (1)

NOTE: This from is to be used after an inquest.
REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT DEATHS

Director of Regeneration
Portsmouth City Council
Civic Office

Guildhall Square
Portsmouth

Hampshire

PO1 2AS

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO:

1 CORONER

lam David Clark HORSLEY, Senior Coroner for the area of Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

2 CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS

I 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.

3 INVESTIGATION and INQUEST

On 08/06/2017 | commenced an investigation into the death of Timothy Kevin ATKINS aged 48. The
investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 26/10/2017. The conclusion of the inquest was:

Mr ATKINS Medical cause of death was 1a Severe head injuries.

| concluded that the death was due to an Accident.
4 CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

At about 17:28 hours on the Second June 2017 Timothy Kevin ATKINS was riding his bicycle on the shared
cycle/pedestrian pavement on the A2030, Eastern Road, Portsmouth, when he was in collision with another
cyclist riding in the opposite direction. As a result, he fell into the carriageway striking the rear nearside corner
of a passing motor vehicle and sustained severe and unsurvivable head injuries. He was pronounced deceased
by the attending paramedics at 17:56 hours the same day.

5 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 CONCERNS are as follows:

Coroner for Portsmouth and South East Hampshire Coroner’s Court, 1 Guildhall Square, Portsmouth,
PO1 2GJ
Tel: 023 9268 8326 or email: coroners.office@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

The Coroner's Court
1 Guildhall Square
Portsmouth

POI 2G]

David C. Horsley LLB, Solicitor
Her Majesty's Coroner
for Portsmouth and

South East Hampshire

The corner of the shared cycle/pedestrian pavement where the cyclists collided is a narrow pinch-point with
poor visibility and no safety barrier. | am of the opinion that the highway authority should give consideration
to improving cyclist and pedestrian safety at this corner.

6 ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN
In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and | believe the Council as the highway
authority for the Eastern road have the power to take such action.

7 YOUR RESPONSE

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report,
namely by 04 January 2018. |, 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.

8 COPIES and PUBLICATION

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

kin and] (City Solicitor, Portsmouth City Council).

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 senda
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.

David Clark HORSLEY
Senior Coroner for

Portsmouth and South East Hampshire
Dated: 09/11/2017

Coroner for Portsmouth and South East Hampshire Coroner’s Court, 1 Guildhall Square, Portsmouth,
PO1 2GJ
Tel: 023 9268 8326 or email: coroners.office@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Responses

1 response published against this report on judiciary.uk. A response is a body's written reply to the coroner's concerns; publication is at the discretion of the Chief Coroner's office, so an absent response does not mean nobody replied.

Response from Portsmouth City Council (PDF)
Portsmouth
CITY COUNCIL

REGENERATION
Floor 4
Civic Offices
Guildhall Square
Mr. David C Horsley Portsmouth
Her Majesty's Coroner PO1 2NE
The Coroner's Court
1 Guildhall Square Phone:_023 9283 4550
PORTSMOUTH Email
Hants.
PO1 2GJ

Date: 15'" December 2017

Ao a
xt

Dear Mr Horsley,

| write in response to your report on investigations into the death of Timothy Kevin
Atkins.

Staff from across the city council were shocked and saddened by the death of Mr.
Atkins, and our thoughts and condolences are with his family and all those that knew
him.

As a city council we are committed to creating a safer environment for all road users,
but in particular our most vulnerable groups, such as cyclists.

In March 2017 work started on a project to improve transport routes on Portsmouth's
Eastern Corridor. This consists of various individual schemes including one to widen
and straighten the Eastern Road cycle path across the Burrfields Road junction,
which will improve safety and visibility.

Work will start in early 2018 on realigning the kerb and repositioning the central
reservation and crossing point.

Ahead of this work, agreement was obtained in September 2017, from the operators
of the adjacent caravan park to cut back their hedge which runs along the length of
the cycle path. ’

RECEIVED
18 DEC 2017

BY H.M CORONER!

www.portsmouth.gov.uk

The development and delivery of a safer cycle network within the city is a primary
focus of our citywide improvement programme and with the support of our wider
stakeholders, | am confident of our ability to continually improve the network.

If you require any further information please contact me.

Yours sincerely

Director of Regeneration

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