Lancashire County Council failed to fix a large crack in a road that caused the death of an 84-year-old cyclist, according to a coroner. Harry Colledge hit the crack while cycling on Island Lane in Winmarleigh with his friend Nigel Mycock on 2 January 2021. The impact threw Colledge from his bike. Mycock heard a “sickening crunch” and turned to see Colledge on the ground, with his bike still between his legs. Colledge was taken to Royal Preston Hospital but he did not regain consciousness and died from a fatal head injury.
At the inquest, the coroner found that if the crack had been fixed in October 2020 as it should have been, Colledge would most likely still be alive. The coroner stated that the crack “did not identify the defect which caused Mr Colledge’s injuries and thus a dangerous hazard had remained”. The council’s position was “not capable of belief” and was inconsistent with the evidence and common sense.
The council said it was aware of the verdict, and would be considering it thoroughly and carefully. The council had been shown photos of the crack by a parish councillor before the incident with one image showing its length. Due to the council’s inadequate response to the presence of the defect stated in the photograph, the coroner issued a regulation 28 notice.
Mr Colledge’s family were outraged by the council’s continued refusal to take responsibility for the repairs required. Mr Colledge, who had often cycled 100 miles a day, was described as a “fit and active” cyclist. The widow of Mr Colledge remarked, “It was a needless death and shouldn’t have happened. It’s just going to happen again. All I want is for that lane to be repaired.”
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