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Learning scenarios
A Catalogue of errors?
Tony works for a Local Authority as a Highway Engineer and is given the task of taking the lead role in the scale and
nature of a development proposal to alter a junction in a busy town centre. This junction was known to have failed
design standards for safe cycling although it was due for an upgrade as part of a wider road scheme improvement
programme.
A report on pedestrian safety produced by a local road safety charity had warned the Local Authority that
casualties were inevitable at this junction which was described as a battle-ground. Their own experts advised
the Highways Authority that the junction needed proper calming measures and should be redesigned.
Tony had been tasked with giving advice to the Local Authority on the safety issues at this junction but when he
carried out an inspection he miscalculated the width of the road and failed to take into consideration its use by
cyclists. He concluded that the junction was safe and on that basis the junction was not upgraded.
The Local Authority Cycling Design Standards state that widths of less than 4m to 4.5m per lane should be avoided
except on narrow quiet roads. Tony Davidson had not been aware of this when he carried out his inspection
because he had not been provided with the information by the Chief Highway Engineer.
Samantha Lee, an IT Consultant, cycles to work every day and has to negotiate this junction. On the 2nd October
2013 she was cycling through this junction when she was knocked from her bike by a cement mixing vehicle. She
was not wearing a cycle helmet, because she felt that it ruined her hair, and sustained catastrophic injuries,
including brain damage. She would need 24 hour care for the rest of her life.
The driver of an HGV was unfamiliar with the road layout, misjudged the width of the road, and because his nearside wing mirror was broken, he did not see the cyclist. Police enquiries confirmed that the driver had also
exceeded his driving hours by a significant amount and was exhausted.
The Road Safety Charity argued that the stretch of road where Miss Lee was injured breached the Local Authority
standards for minimum safe width for roads used by both cyclists and motor vehicles. When measured the width
of the two-lane section of where the collision occurred was found to be inadequate and the collision occurred at a
pinch point where the road narrows.
Given the different professions that are involved in this scenario would anyone like to have a go and give an
opinion on who they think is to blame for the injuries suffered by Samantha?
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