Female cyclist killed in tipper truck collision at Victoria
19 February, 2015 - 09:44
The scene of a the collision between a tipper truck and a cyclist in Victoria Street (Picture: Nick Ansell/PA)
A female cyclist has been killed this morming after a crash involving an HGV at Victoria, the fourth to die on London’s roads in 2015.
The woman, believed to be in her 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene in Victoria Street after being crushed under the wheels of a tipper truck at 8am.
Police have made a makeshift tent around the Gordon Plant Hire lorry as they investigate the incident.
A spokesman for the Met said: “Police were called at 7.59am to reports of a cyclist in collision with lorry on Victoria Street, SW1, near to Victoria Palace.
“Officers, London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade attended and found an unresponsive woman in her 30s.
The woman is the fourth to die on London's roads this year (Picture: Nick Ansell/PA)
“She was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Officers from Westminster are currently investigating. Enquires continue.”
Witnesses said the bicycle could be seen under the second set of wheels of the truck, which had been driving along Bressenden Place - and had just turned left on to Victoria Street at a set of traffic lights when the cyclist was hit on the inside.
Carnel Jarca, a Big Issue seller stood opposite the crash when it happened, said: “I just heard this big sound, a crash, the sound of crushed metal.
“The truck stopped straight away and I could hear someone shouting to the driver.
“The police and ambulance arrived really quickly. We hear the cyclist died, it’s terrible.”
Des Dacosta, a maintenance engineer who approached the junction shortly after the accident, said: “I could see the bike all mangled under the wheels.
“I didn’t want to look at the cyclist because I could tell it was a really serious accident.
Witnesses say the cyclist was crushed under the tipper truck after it turned left onto Victoria Street (Picture: Nick Ansell/PA)
“I work around here a lot and it’s a very busy junction, all day and all night, it is relentless. It’s just tragic, another cyclist killed in London.”
The woman is the fourth cyclist to die in London this year - all of whom were killed in incidents involving HGVs.
• On January 20,
29-year-old Stephanie Turner, a physiotherapist, was killed in an accident with a lorry in Stamford Hill.
• Two weeks later on February 2,
music producer and sound engineer Akis Kollaros, 34, died after a collision with a lorry in Homerton.
• And four days later
26-year-old fashion designer Federica Baldassa was killed after an accident with a lorry in Bloomsbury Square.
Several
protests have been held by campaigners who want improved safety - with segregated lanes and lorries removed from the roads.
And earlier this month
the TfL board approved two new cycle superhighways across London, aimed at separating cyclists from other road users.
http://www.london24.com/news/cycling/cyclist_killed_in_victoria_lorry_collision_1_3962342
