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Safety call after cycle tragedy Safety call after cycle tragedy
(about 1 hour later)
An MP wants changes to the law to protect cyclists after four were killed when they were hit by a car.An MP wants changes to the law to protect cyclists after four were killed when they were hit by a car.
Thomas Harland, 14, Maurice Broadbent, 61, Dave Horrocks, 55, and Wayne Wilkes, 42, died on a practice ride near Abergele, Conwy, in January 2006.Thomas Harland, 14, Maurice Broadbent, 61, Dave Horrocks, 55, and Wayne Wilkes, 42, died on a practice ride near Abergele, Conwy, in January 2006.
Vale of Clwyd MP Chris Ruane will lead a debate in Westminster Hall at the House of Commons later.Vale of Clwyd MP Chris Ruane will lead a debate in Westminster Hall at the House of Commons later.
He and Thomas's father, Jon Harland, want to see principal roads gritted and closed until passable in icy weather.He and Thomas's father, Jon Harland, want to see principal roads gritted and closed until passable in icy weather.
The Rhyl Cycling Club members died when a motorist lost control and collided with them on the A547 Rhuddlan Road, near Abergele.The Rhyl Cycling Club members died when a motorist lost control and collided with them on the A547 Rhuddlan Road, near Abergele.
The road had not been gritted, despite warnings about icy conditions in the area.The road had not been gritted, despite warnings about icy conditions in the area.
Mr Harland, who was also on the ride and suffered a broken leg, has spoken to Mr Ruane in advance of the Commons debate, and both agreed the issues the MP would raise.Mr Harland, who was also on the ride and suffered a broken leg, has spoken to Mr Ruane in advance of the Commons debate, and both agreed the issues the MP would raise.
There are 22 local authorities in Wales, which means lots of boundaries and lots of jurisdiction Chris Ruane MP I think the lessons learnt here on the protocols between local authorities could be spread around the whole of the UK Chris Ruane MP
He has also told North Wales Police Authority of his intention to raise the debate in the Commons. Mr Ruane, who has told North Wales Police Authority of his intention to raise the debate in the Commons, said he questioned procedures and protocols.
"If you have a look on that morning, there were four accidents, three of them involved police officers," he said.
"Were they reported properly to the control room? Did the control room act properly on the report of those accidents?"
Mr Ruane said he would be calling for icy roads to be dealt with in the same manner as an oil spillage, for example.Mr Ruane said he would be calling for icy roads to be dealt with in the same manner as an oil spillage, for example.
"If an oil spillage had occurred, the road would be cordoned off: this would be standard procedure," he said."If an oil spillage had occurred, the road would be cordoned off: this would be standard procedure," he said.
Mr Ruane also intends to highlighting communication failures over road gritting. Mr Ruane also intends to focus on communication failures over road gritting, highlighting the fact that the accident occurred on a stretch of road split by the Denbighshire-Conwy county border.
During the inquest last month, the jury heard that the route was not gritted by Conwy Council on the morning of the bike ride, despite frost having been forecast. During the inquest last month, the jury heard the route was not gritted by Conwy Council on the morning of the bike ride, despite frost having been forecast.
'Lack of communication'
Coroner John Hughes told the inquest there seemed to have been a "Berlin Wall between the counties of Conwy and Denbighshire, but the weather takes no account of lines on maps."Coroner John Hughes told the inquest there seemed to have been a "Berlin Wall between the counties of Conwy and Denbighshire, but the weather takes no account of lines on maps."
'No protocol'
The jury decided there was a "serious lack of communication" between police and local authorities and that the vehicle which hit the cyclists was being driven in an inappropriate manner.The jury decided there was a "serious lack of communication" between police and local authorities and that the vehicle which hit the cyclists was being driven in an inappropriate manner.
The inquest jury also heard evidence that the fatal collision had been the third incident that day. "The Denbighshire side was gritted early in the morning, and then [the lorry] turned back into Denbighshire instead of going the whole length because there was no protocol in place," said Mr Ruane.
"There are 22 local authorities in Wales, which means lots of boundaries and lots of jurisdiction," Mr Ruane said. "I think the lessons learnt here on the protocols between local authorities could be spread around the whole of the UK.
He wants to see more co-operation between authorities, and services such as gritting overlapping boundaries. "But it is especially important in Wales where we have 22 small local authorities and thousands of miles of border roads."
Mr Ruane said the case had brought up questions for the police, local authorities and the judiciary, and also asked why the driver had not been prosecuted.