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Inquests into cycling club deaths Cycle deaths road 'not gritted'
(about 6 hours later)
The inquests are to open into the deaths of four members of Rhyl Cycling Club in an accident near Abergele on a training ride almost 18 months ago. A road on which four members of Rhyl Cycling Club were killed in a collision was not gritted on the morning of the tragedy, an inquest jury has heard.
Thomas Harland, 14, Maurice Broadbent, 61, Dave Horrocks, 55, and Wayne Wilkes, 42, died on 8 January 2006. Thomas Harland, 14, Maurice Broadbent, 61, Dave Horrocks, 55, and Wayne Wilkes, 42, died in January 2006 after a car skidded on ice near Abergele.
A motorist lost control after skidding on black ice and collided with the group of 12 cyclists. Opening the Abergele inquest, Coroner John Hughes told the jury they would hear evidence of the road's condition.
Six months ago the coroner criticised delays in obtaining key witness statements as "totally unsatisfactory". The inquest is due to last a month and hear from around 200 witnesses.
Addressing the jury on Monday, Mr Hughes told them they would hear how the route was not one gritted by Conwy Council on the morning of 8 January.
Mr Hughes, coroner for North East Wales, also said there had been another accident near the scene on the same morning, and the police had been in touch with the council about conditions on the road.
Defective car tyres were not a "contributory factor," a court heard
Mr Hughes said evidence they would hear would vary from those who thought the condition of the road was "appalling," to those who did not notice any adverse conditions.
The four cyclists died on the A547 Rhuddlan Road not far from the start of a 60-mile (97km) Sunday club ride to Llandudno's Great Orme and back.The four cyclists died on the A547 Rhuddlan Road not far from the start of a 60-mile (97km) Sunday club ride to Llandudno's Great Orme and back.
Robert Harris, 47, from Abergele, was fined £180 with £35 costs last August and given six points on his licence after admitting having defective tyres. Motorist Robert Harris, 47, from Abergele, was fined £180 with £35 costs last August and given six points on his licence after admitting having defective tyres.
Defective car tyres were not a "contributory factor", a court has heard The court heard that the defective tyres were not a factor in the accident.
The court heard the defective tyres were not a factor in the accident, in which Thomas Harland's father Jon also suffered a broken leg. The coroner has previously criticised delays on the full inquest getting under way.
The inquest into the four deaths at Abergele town hall is expected to last up to six weeks and will hear from more than 100 witnesses.
Relatives of the four who died and pathologists are expected to give evidence to the coroner for north east Wales, John Hughes.
Mr Hughes has previously criticised delays on the full inquest getting under way.
In January at a preliminary hearing he described delays in obtaining a full statement from a key witness as "totally unsatisfactory" and said justice was not being served.In January at a preliminary hearing he described delays in obtaining a full statement from a key witness as "totally unsatisfactory" and said justice was not being served.
Civil actionCivil action
A month before the coroner had said there needed to be greater communication between Conwy Council and the police, after it emerged there had been a delay in the authority supplying gritting records. A month before, Mr Hughes said there needed to be greater communication between Conwy Council and North Wales Police, after it emerged there had been a delay in the authority supplying gritting records.
Mr Hughes said there was a danger the cyclists' families might think there was a cover-up.Mr Hughes said there was a danger the cyclists' families might think there was a cover-up.
In April, another preliminary inquest hearing was told Conwy Council and the motorist's insurance company had agreed a deal which could pave the way for compensation for the families. In April, another preliminary inquest hearing was told that the council and the motorist's insurance company had agreed a deal which could pave the way for compensation for the families.
A solicitor acting for the families welcomed the news but said there was no plan for any civil action in the courts at that time.A solicitor acting for the families welcomed the news but said there was no plan for any civil action in the courts at that time.
She said the inquests were the families' top priority.She said the inquests were the families' top priority.