Danielle Broadhead

Regulation 28 Notice - Kirklees Council Response 

Inquest into the Death of Danielle Lea Broadhead 
Report to Prevent Further Deaths 
Paragraph 7, Schedule 5 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and 
Regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013 

Circumstances of Death 
On 20 April 2020 Danielle Lea Broadhead lost control of her motor vehicle as she drove along Barnsley 
Road (A637), Flockton after clipping a kerb at a location where the grass verge ends and becomes 
pedestrian pavement on the apex of a left sweeping bend in the road. As a result, she tragically collided 
with a tree. Although Danielle received fatal head injuries, her two accompanying children survived.  

Coroner’s Concerns 
Given that Danielle appears to have inadvertently clipped the kerb- 
The MATTER OF CONCERN  is as follows. – 

•  To review and consider the existing road layout to ensure that it meets the correct regulations and 

standards 

•  To consider the appropriateness of measures which highlight the commencement of the kerb to 

oncoming motorists. 

Kirklees Council response 

In line with standard practice, notification of the fatal collision where Danielle Lea Broadbend tragically lost 
her life was received, via email, from West Yorkshire Police, by Kirklees Highways Safety, on 21 April 2020. 

“MV1 is travelling South East South on the A637 in the direction of Flockton Village from Grange Moor. For reasons 
as yet unknown MV1 apparently loses control as it negotiates a left hand bend, as a result of this apparent loss of 
control MV1 crosses onto the opposite carriageway and strikes the grass verge causing the vehicle to begin to turn 
over. As it does so the vehicle makes contact with a tree, the first point of impact is the roof causing significant 
intrusion into the cabin.”  

Initial investigations of the highway, approaching the collision site, did not give rise to any immediate 
concerns. 

Subsequently Kirklees Highway Safety Team (KHST) requested additional information from the Major 
Collisions Enquiry Team (MCET), to build on the initial Fatal Notification received (quoted above) to help 
with ongoing discussions with the Local Ward Councillors and concerned residents. 

As a result of that request, an officer from KHST and an officer from MCET attended a site meeting, on 
Barnsley Rd, on 18 August 2020.  
At that time, it was mentioned, by MCET, that an issue with a kerb, as now referred to in the Regulation 28 
notice, had been mention to them by residents of Flockton whilst they were carrying out their initial 
investigations into the accident. At the time there was no decision or indication that this kerb was a factor 
in the accident, nor has this been suggested or confirmed since, until the Council received the Regulation 
28 notice, that this report is in response to. 
They identified, on site, the kerb in question as one some 135m west of the site of the collision, and there 
was no evidence on site, at the time of the visit, or since, that this kerb has frequently been struck by 
vehicles. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The location of the kerb, where there is a change from grassed verge to made footway, is approximately 
500m to the West of the junction of Haigh Lane opposite a private drive entrance. At the point of the 
change there is an existing edge of carriageway line leading drivers away from where the kerbing starts. 
This line was last re-instated in 2016 as part of the road surface dressing works. The google image above 
was captured in Sept 2020. 
The centre lane is made up of a double white line system (also reinstated in 2016) both have been installed 
in accordance with “Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016” and  associated “TSM Chapter 5 
– Road Markings”  
The change from verge to footway is made by transition kerbs, into full height kerb, with the verge and 
made tarmac footway being same width.  

  
 
 
 
 No reports or concerns, regarding the transition from verge to footway at this location, had been made 
from residents or users of this route, to the Council, either prior to, or since this tragic event, neither have 
there been any other collisions here in the 2 years before the events of 20th April 2020 
This road carries around 5000 vehicles each day travelling Eastbound towards Flockton.  

It was agreed at the site meeting that there was no certainty of the kerb being a factor in the collision. 
However, it was identified that there could be a potential risk to pedestrians at this point on the network, 
and as there was a planned footway resurfacing scheme for Barnsley Road between Flockton and Grange 
Moor, Highway Officers decided to investigate the potential to amend this detail. 

The result of those investigations was, to improve the opportunity for pedestrians to cross Barnsley Road 
at this point, where the footpath stops on the northside and continues on the south, a scheme would be 
developed that extended the northern footway some 18m. This then extends this footway to overlap the 
footway provided on the southern side of Barnsley Rd allowing pedestrians to cross at 900 to the road, 
rather than the current angle and improves forward visibility for both pedestrians and drivers alike, of each 
other. 

These proposals (shown on the diagram below) have been subject to the required Road Safety Audit 
process, and no concerns regarding the scheme and its detail design have been raised.  

The footway maintenance scheme started, working from Grange Moor roundabout, to Flockton village, on 
the 7th May 2021, and is programmed for 6 – 8 weeks, weather permitting. The works proposed below are 
to be carried out as part of these works. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Signed – on behalf of Kirklees Council – Highways Service  

Operational Manager 
Highways Service 
Environment Directorate. 
Kirklees Council