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Saturday 2 July 2011

Another Tragedy

Cyclist killed in A50 crash

A CYCLIST has been killed after a collision involving a long goods vehicle on the A50 near Hatton last night (Thursday).
online breaking genericDerbyshire police are appealing for witnesses to the incident which happened on the A50 Westbound carriageway at around 8.09pm.
The collision involved a Mercedes LGV and a pedal cyclist and the cyclist was confirmed dead at the scene.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the witness appeal line on 01773 572 929 or the collision investigation unit on 01773 571 675. The officer in the case is PC636 Parkin.


This cyclist would be alive today had he been cycling on the  Sustrans Dove Valley Route (NCN R549) which runs parallel to the A50 on quiet lanes and cycle paths. Perhaps he did not know of it's existence, although we have signed it well, but only on the route itself. Or perhaps he knew of it, but chose to ride on the main road instead.
In a similar incident last year, a mature and very experienced cyclist was killed on the A38 slip road at Stretton. He also would be alive today had he been cycling on the nearby NCN Route, in that case Route54, which then was subject to a diversion via Stretton, but now has a dedicated off-road path alongside the T&M Canal.
We will be taking these points up with the Accident Investigation Team and the local MP, who has said "Something must be done".

Further News Sunday 9.30am
We understand from the Police that the cyclist was in fact taking part in a TimeTrial, so my refererence to R549 is somewhat irrelevent now. However, we should be encouraging cyclists to ride away from fast and busy roads whenever possible. 

7 comments:

David Martin said...

It always saddens me when I hear off nother cyclist who has had their life taken away by such an accident.
Maybe the local council could be adviced to place up signs on the road ride near the cycle path access stating that they are advised to use cycle path to, and give It's destinations.

Unknown said...

Whenever I hear of a cyclist being involved in an accident, I always think "Is it someone I know!" , and then, "another of our compatriots that will not be swelling our numbers". Not to keen on the hint "advised to use". This kind of suggestion quickly becomes obligatory. Recent Government discussions are on this very subject, namely lorries causing injuries and fatalities.
JohnS

Trexrider said...

The recent death of another cyclist is bad news. The Roads are just not safe due to the impatience of motorists. Something MUST be done.

I recently did the safety check along with Steve Adams for the upcoming Sinfin ride. As Steve knows I was well pissed off with Motorists horns by the time I reached Mercia marina. In those three miles I had been Papped at five times, once because I crossed over in front of three cars to gain access to Staker Lane. An action which would not have raised an eyebrow had I done it in my car for there was ample room and I had ample speed on my bike. Then I was papped three times as I stood at the side of the road talking to two other cyclists who were standing on the pavement with their bikes. This was on the road beside the marina which is broad at that point.

Later on, riding with Steve we were pipped at for riding two abreast along the road leading from Willington to Swarkstone. Why I do not know as the highway code states:

“never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends”

The road was neither narrow or busy.

Later on we were overtaken by a driver who cut sharply across me giving me no more than two inches at the side of my bars. This was on a dead end road in Sinfin. Why, because she was in a hurry to get to the end of the road and there was a car coming in the other direction, and yes we were riding two abreast again. I am ashamed to say this one got the bad side of my toungue.

swaddywaddy said...

Agreed it is impatient,impolite drivers who put our lives at risk! Respect for all fellow road users is a must..the road is there for cyclists,horses,cars(!), HGVs(!!)white vans(!!!)etc

We are vunerable but we are ENTITLED to be there.

Unknown said...

Time trialling on fast highways. The fact that these roads are fast commends them for the time trialist, which I myself was once. Each area strives to have the fastest route in the area to command the fastest riders in the country using their route. The puzzling bit, is that this was in the evening and was probably an evening ten mile trial. I am not up to date with time tralling now, but we always used to start as soon as it was light, and was always on Sunday mornings. Presently, it is light by just after 04.00hrs. I can only remember one accident, and this was an evening event. Rider riding with his head down and found the back of a lorry! Another accident caused by a broken seat pillar.
JohnS

Les Sims said...

It apears to have been South Pennine's 10 Mile Time Trial out of Etwall at 7.30pm.
I guess that they would turn at the
Hatton/Sudbury roundabout on the
A50.
The Sudbury roundabout has seen many lorries tipping over. A commbination of too high an approach speed and insufficient camber on the road perhaps?
Also the rider was heading Westwards and probably into the setting sun so the lorry driver may have been dazzled by the sun.

Anonymous said...

I wonder wether the sun was a significant factor. At 8.09pm on 30 June the sun would have been 10 degrees above the horizon and 25 degrees North of West in the Sudbury area. 10 degrees may not sound very much but represents a 1 in 6 gradient, something you would look up to. At 100m the sun would appear to be about 15m above a level road surface and, I would have thought, easily blocked out by a sun visor - especially from the relatively high cab of a lorry.

Martin