UK Inquiry Tracker

Florence Lowe

PFD Report Historic (No Identified Response) Ref: 2015-0415

Date of Report 29 October 2015

Coroner Anthony Curzon

Coroner Area Stoke-on-Trent & North Staffordshire

Response Deadline est. 24 December 2015

Road (Highways Safety) related deaths

Judiciary.uk Report PDF

Coroner's Concerns (AI summary)

A 60mph speed limit on a road with residential properties and busy amenities is inappropriate, and a major roundabout lacks a pedestrian crossing. Other local roads have adopted lower limits for safety.

View full coroner's concerns

During the course of the evidence my attention was drawn to the fact that the road is only subject to the statutory limit of 6Omph whilst it has residential properties at places along its length, busy petrol station and large lay-by southbound and a busy hotel northbound on joining the A519 upon leaving the M6 atjunction 15. Of the other roads approaching this junction the major one is the A5O0 dual carriageway, now subject to S0mph due to several fatal accidents, and from the south 3Omph, being 2 lanes only, narrow and houses in close proximity to the road: Approximately a quarter of a mile from this incident northbound the road enters a roundabout with large residential areas accessing from both right and left but no pedestrian crossing on the south side of the roundabout 21" line:. being

Sent To

Staffordshire County Council

Response Status

Linked responses 0 of 1

56-Day Deadline 24 Dec 2015

About PFD responses

Organisations named in PFD reports must respond within 56 days explaining what actions they are taking.

Source: Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Report Sections

Investigation and Inquest

On 24h November 2014 commenced an investigation into the death of Florence Margaret Lowe aged 85 years. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on August 2015. The conclusion of the inquest was that Miss Lowe died from multiple chest injuries as a result ofa road trafic collision

Circumstances of the Death

At 10.O5pm on 18i November 2014 whilst attempting to cross the A519 Clayton Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, which at the point of collision is a 3 lane highway, two lanes northbound separated from one lane southbound by a solid white line whilst southbound there is a broken white The point of impact was adjacent to a petrol station and a property named 'Fairfield' . She was struck by a vehicle travelling south after walking/running across 2+ lanes Speed did not play any part in this accident

Action Should Be Taken

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and believe you andlor your organisation have the power to take such action. It appears that the speed limit of 6Omph may not be considered appropriate for this area and consideration should be given to reducing it to at least 50mph, if not 4Omph: Consideration should be given to a pedestrian crossing on the approach to the roundabout at the Westbury ParkINorthwood Lane junctions