‘Accident’

The coroner:

It was possible that she thought the coach was going straight on, but, unfortunately, it was going into Colwell Drive. She crossed Colwell Drive in front of a coach which struck her and she received fatal injuries. That was clearly an accidental event.”

Oh really?

Coach driver Andrew Sale, who has worked for bus company Tappins for eight years, said he saw a cyclist near McDonald’s on the footpath in Colwell Drive when he approached the Marcham Road roundabout. He said: “There was a young girl and she was heading towards the drop kerb.” He said he could not remember if he had indicated to turn left into Colwell Drive. He said that he heard a “thud” shortly after turning into the road.

So the teenage cyclist was hit and killed by a left-turning coach driver who ‘couldn’t remember’ if he’d indicated a left turn.

But nobody had any questions.

Apart from all the other issues raised by this verdict, it once again reinforces the need for every vehicle to carry an aircraft-style black box which records speed, indicator use and other crucial aspects of driver behaviour in the event of a collision. Something which Britain's blood-drenched 'road safety' industry has no interest in campaigning for, least of all toothless and supine RoSPA.