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| Mother calls for law change after Surrey coach crash ruling | Mother calls for law change after Surrey coach crash ruling |
| (2 months later) | |
| A grieving mother has called for a ban on coach operators using old tyres after a coroner ruled that the failure of a tyre that was nearly 20 years old caused a crash that killed three people on their way back from a music festival. | A grieving mother has called for a ban on coach operators using old tyres after a coroner ruled that the failure of a tyre that was nearly 20 years old caused a crash that killed three people on their way back from a music festival. |
| Surrey coroner Richard Travers questioned why it was legal for such old tyres to be used after hearing how driver Colin Daulby battled to control the 52-seat coach on the A3 in Surrey when the front nearside tyre blew out, sending his vehicle veering up an embankment, through a fence and into a tree. | Surrey coroner Richard Travers questioned why it was legal for such old tyres to be used after hearing how driver Colin Daulby battled to control the 52-seat coach on the A3 in Surrey when the front nearside tyre blew out, sending his vehicle veering up an embankment, through a fence and into a tree. |
| Daulby, 63, from Warrington, died along with passengers Kerry Ogden, 23, of Maghull, Liverpool, and musician Michael Molloy, 18, from Woolton, Liverpool. | Daulby, 63, from Warrington, died along with passengers Kerry Ogden, 23, of Maghull, Liverpool, and musician Michael Molloy, 18, from Woolton, Liverpool. |
| Travers said he would be writing to the Department for Transport to highlight the issue. | Travers said he would be writing to the Department for Transport to highlight the issue. |
| Speaking after the inquest, Molloy's mother Frances Molloy called for a change in the law. | Speaking after the inquest, Molloy's mother Frances Molloy called for a change in the law. |
| "It's shocking that we do not have legislation about the age of tyres in this country and we never want any other family to go through what has happened," she told reporters. | "It's shocking that we do not have legislation about the age of tyres in this country and we never want any other family to go through what has happened," she told reporters. |
| "If that tyre had been of a good age, Michael, Kerry and Colin would be alive." | "If that tyre had been of a good age, Michael, Kerry and Colin would be alive." |
| Molloy and Ogden were sitting in window seats in the two rows directly behind the driver and all three died instantly in the crash from multiple injuries. Daulby, described as an experienced, safe and careful driver, had only three seconds to react and was helpless to prevent the crash. | Molloy and Ogden were sitting in window seats in the two rows directly behind the driver and all three died instantly in the crash from multiple injuries. Daulby, described as an experienced, safe and careful driver, had only three seconds to react and was helpless to prevent the crash. |
| The coach, operated by Merseypride Travel, was heading back to Merseyside from the Bestival festival on the Isle of Wight just before midnight on 10 September last year. | The coach, operated by Merseypride Travel, was heading back to Merseyside from the Bestival festival on the Isle of Wight just before midnight on 10 September last year. |
| The company is due at Guildford magistrates court on 12 August to answer a charge of using a defective tyre on the vehicle, but not the one that caused the accident. | The company is due at Guildford magistrates court on 12 August to answer a charge of using a defective tyre on the vehicle, but not the one that caused the accident. |
| Concluding the inquest into the tragedy, Travers said the "catastrophic failure" of the tyre, which was two years older than the coach, had caused the accident and he recorded a verdict of accidental death. | Concluding the inquest into the tragedy, Travers said the "catastrophic failure" of the tyre, which was two years older than the coach, had caused the accident and he recorded a verdict of accidental death. |
| "The real explanation that this tyre failed so catastrophically is through age," he said. | "The real explanation that this tyre failed so catastrophically is through age," he said. |
| "I formally announce that I will be writing a rule 43 report to draw attention to the minister for transport of the very dangers caused by the fact that vehicles, be they private, commercial or public, are legally able to drive on tyres without restriction on age, and by reason of age are potentially in a perilous condition, which there is no realistic means of detecting." | "I formally announce that I will be writing a rule 43 report to draw attention to the minister for transport of the very dangers caused by the fact that vehicles, be they private, commercial or public, are legally able to drive on tyres without restriction on age, and by reason of age are potentially in a perilous condition, which there is no realistic means of detecting." |
| The two-day inquest heard that the tyre had been bought second hand, had never been retreaded and was perfectly legal to use. There were no other defects to the 17-year-old coach that contributed to the crash. | The two-day inquest heard that the tyre had been bought second hand, had never been retreaded and was perfectly legal to use. There were no other defects to the 17-year-old coach that contributed to the crash. |
| But tyre expert David Price said the tyre was "abnormally old" and that caused the accident as it finally failed. | But tyre expert David Price said the tyre was "abnormally old" and that caused the accident as it finally failed. |
| "It is known that tyres deteriorate significantly with age," he said. | "It is known that tyres deteriorate significantly with age," he said. |
| There are presently no laws to stop old tyres being used but some car manufacturers recommend tyres more than 10 years old are scrapped. | There are presently no laws to stop old tyres being used but some car manufacturers recommend tyres more than 10 years old are scrapped. |
| Price explained that the tyre had been delaminating, or falling apart internally, for perhaps months but this would not have been noticeable to the eye. He said that it was only half worn so had either been a spare or in storage for years. | Price explained that the tyre had been delaminating, or falling apart internally, for perhaps months but this would not have been noticeable to the eye. He said that it was only half worn so had either been a spare or in storage for years. |
| He added that a lack of a legal requirement about the age of tyres was "frustrating". | He added that a lack of a legal requirement about the age of tyres was "frustrating". |
| The vehicle was full of friends who had left Merseyside on 5 September to go south for the festival and each paid £56 to hire the coach. | The vehicle was full of friends who had left Merseyside on 5 September to go south for the festival and each paid £56 to hire the coach. |
| Survivors spoke of waking up and seeing the tree looming towards them as the coach went up the embankment, then scrambling out while smelling fuel. Many suffered serious injuries, the inquest in Woking, Surrey, was told. | Survivors spoke of waking up and seeing the tree looming towards them as the coach went up the embankment, then scrambling out while smelling fuel. Many suffered serious injuries, the inquest in Woking, Surrey, was told. |
| Janet Fields, who was driving her ex-partner Troy Walter, was behind the coach and said in a statement: "It just left the road. There were no brake lights, no skidding – it just glided off the road and then up the embankment." | Janet Fields, who was driving her ex-partner Troy Walter, was behind the coach and said in a statement: "It just left the road. There were no brake lights, no skidding – it just glided off the road and then up the embankment." |
| Molloy had just turned 18 and was a "talented and gifted musician". The teenager was once a member of the aspiring Liverpool band Hostile Radio but had gone solo. | Molloy had just turned 18 and was a "talented and gifted musician". The teenager was once a member of the aspiring Liverpool band Hostile Radio but had gone solo. |
| English graduate Ogden was described as keen on music and she had been to Bestival several times. Her father Robert Ogden said his daughter had the travelling bug and hoped to teach English abroad | English graduate Ogden was described as keen on music and she had been to Bestival several times. Her father Robert Ogden said his daughter had the travelling bug and hoped to teach English abroad |
| Daulby was described as a safe and considerate driver who loved his part-time job with the company. Tests showed he had not consumed alcohol or drugs. | Daulby was described as a safe and considerate driver who loved his part-time job with the company. Tests showed he had not consumed alcohol or drugs. |
| Mrs Molloy said she would consider legal action against the coach operators. | Mrs Molloy said she would consider legal action against the coach operators. |
| "If Merseypride Travel can be held to account for this then that is what we will do." | "If Merseypride Travel can be held to account for this then that is what we will do." |
| She pointed out that the tyre was older than her son, adding: "We have heard horrendous evidence and this has traumatised so many families. There were 52 really happy and healthy people on that coach. Michael's friend Zack Washington had suffered life changing injuries. " | She pointed out that the tyre was older than her son, adding: "We have heard horrendous evidence and this has traumatised so many families. There were 52 really happy and healthy people on that coach. Michael's friend Zack Washington had suffered life changing injuries. " |
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