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Road grit plan after bike deaths | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Road safety measures are expected to be approved by a council following criticisms at an inquest into Britain's worst cycling accident. | Road safety measures are expected to be approved by a council following criticisms at an inquest into Britain's worst cycling accident. |
Four members of Rhyl Cycling Club were killed when a car skidded into them after hitting a patch of ice on a road near Abergele in January 2006. | Four members of Rhyl Cycling Club were killed when a car skidded into them after hitting a patch of ice on a road near Abergele in January 2006. |
New safety proposals will go before Conwy Council on Wednesday. | New safety proposals will go before Conwy Council on Wednesday. |
Proposals include more grit on icy roads, and hand-held computers for up-to-date weather forecasts. | Proposals include more grit on icy roads, and hand-held computers for up-to-date weather forecasts. |
Thomas Harland, 14, Maurice Broadbent, 61, Dave Horrocks, 55, and Wayne Wilkes, 42, died while on a 60-mile (96.5km) practice ride between the Great Orme and Llanrwst. | Thomas Harland, 14, Maurice Broadbent, 61, Dave Horrocks, 55, and Wayne Wilkes, 42, died while on a 60-mile (96.5km) practice ride between the Great Orme and Llanrwst. |
They were hit by motorist Robert Harris on the A547 Rhuddlan Road on an icy day. | They were hit by motorist Robert Harris on the A547 Rhuddlan Road on an icy day. |
In my case, it's lads I've known as far back as 30 years, and it really is a situation that leaves a hole in your life afterwards Bill Twigg, Rhyl Cycling Club | |
In August last year, Mr Harris was fined £180 with £35 costs and given six points on his licence after admitting having defective tyres - found not to be a factor in the crash. | In August last year, Mr Harris was fined £180 with £35 costs and given six points on his licence after admitting having defective tyres - found not to be a factor in the crash. |
But in June 2007, an inquest jury criticised a "serious lack of communication" between Conwy Council and its neighbouring authority Denbighshire when it came to road gritting. | But in June 2007, an inquest jury criticised a "serious lack of communication" between Conwy Council and its neighbouring authority Denbighshire when it came to road gritting. |
Communication between councils and North Wales Police also came under fire. | |
The inquest heard that the route had not been gritted by Conwy Council on the morning of the bike ride, despite frost having been forecast. | |
The meeting on Wednesday wants to highlight that councillors are "content with the procedures that have been developed since the tragedy". | The meeting on Wednesday wants to highlight that councillors are "content with the procedures that have been developed since the tragedy". |
The report, to go before Conwy's Environment Scrutiny Committee, said this will allow the council to show the coroner it is determined to "learn the lessons arising" from the tragedy. | |
It also looks at gritting routes, paying particular attention to cross-boundary arrangements with neighbouring authorities. | |
Under the proposals, Conwy Council would increase the amount of grit used on road when icy conditions were forecast. | Under the proposals, Conwy Council would increase the amount of grit used on road when icy conditions were forecast. |
I'm glad something positive is coming out of this tragedy Chris Ruane, Vale of Clwyd MP | |
Duty officers would also be given hand-held computers to allow them to check up-to-the-minute weather forecasts. | Duty officers would also be given hand-held computers to allow them to check up-to-the-minute weather forecasts. |
Bill Twigg, the cycling club's president, said club members were "very reassured" by the new measures to improve road conditions in bad weather. | |
"It leaves us though, with the problem of motorists driving too fast, which is rather a constant thing on pretty well every road," he added. | |
Mr Twigg appealed for motorists to slow down to "try and avoid this kind of tragedy". | |
Chris Ruane, Vale of Clwyd MP, who campaigned for action following the deaths, said: "I'm glad something positive is coming out of this tragedy. I look forward to hearing the details," he said. | |
"However any best practice should be spread throughout the UK to ensure that something like this doesn't happen again." | "However any best practice should be spread throughout the UK to ensure that something like this doesn't happen again." |
The jury ruled out accidental death and returned a narrative verdict, which delivered factual statements on events leading to the four deaths. | The jury ruled out accidental death and returned a narrative verdict, which delivered factual statements on events leading to the four deaths. |