Recipient

Recipient name withheld

First report 17 Jul 2014•Latest report 17 Jul 2014

Recipient record

Reports, concerns and published responses

This page brings together reports naming this recipient and response statements clearly connected to concerns raised in those reports.

Reports: 1
Published responses: 0%
Concerns addressed: 0
Stated actions: 0

Reports over time

Reports naming this recipient by issue year.

Evidence profile

Report topics

Share of this recipient’s reports compared with all other recipients.

0%published responses found

0stated actions described

Topic comparisons are not available in the current evidence snapshot.

Concerns and recipient responses

Statements from Recipient name withheld linked to the concerns in each report. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

17 Jul2014
Berkshire
Concerns raised6
1. Lack of clear, detailed guidance for Local Authorities on highway inspection of trees
2. Highway inspections conducted at speeds that reduce the likelihood of identifying tree hazards
3. Absence of dedicated inspections of trees abutting the highway
1. Limited training of Highway Inspectors in identifying tree hazards
2. Lack of active management and professional review of trees close to the highway
3. Lack of adequate guidance for Highway Inspectors on identifying tree hazards
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

No linked response statements
No action or position from this recipient is clearly linked to the concerns in this report.
AI-generated summary

Michael Arthur Warren · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

Michael Arthur Warren died from serious head injuries after a large branch from an oak tree fell onto the roof of the car he was driving on 5 October 2012. The concerns included limited training and guidance for highway inspectors assessing tree hazards, insufficiently targeted tree inspections, a lack of clear national guidance for local authorities, and the absence of professional management of the landowner’s trees near the highway.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Recipient name withheld; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Lack of clear, detailed guidance for Local Authorities on highway inspection of trees
Wider context from the report
“(1) The evidence at the Inquest revealed that Bracknell Forest Council employ Highways Inspectors to carry out driven and walked inspections in order to attempt to identify any potential hazards that might impact adversely on road users. (2) The Highway Inspectors were expected to identify a range of potential problems including potholes in the road, damaged or obscured signage and potential hazards from trees abutting the highway which were often of considerable height. There was little by way of guidance given to Highways Inspectors who had developed their own system of drive-by investigations conducted at a speed rarely less than thirty miles per hour. (3) The evidence highlighted the limited nature of training provided to Highway Inspectors in identifying potential hazards from trees. The two Inspectors who conducted a drive-by survey two days before the branch fell and killed Mr Warren and who had noted nothing of concern, had not completed any form of tree training since a two day course some seven years earlier. Another Highway Inspector who gave evidence at the Inquest, had never attended a formal training course with regard to tree hazards. (4) There is therefore a need for appropriate guidelines to be provided by Bracknell Forest Council to Highway Inspectors to ensure that they are properly trained in tree issues; that they have an appropriate system of work that ensures that they drive at a speed appropriate to maximise the chances of identifying tree hazards and that there should be a series of inspections which are limited to only the inspection of trees. (5) The evidence also revealed that there was very little by way of clear, detailed guidance available to Local Authorities as regards the appropriate systems of highway inspection of trees abutting the highway. There is a potential need for clear direction from a suitably qualified source to assist Local Authorities in this crucial role. (6) The owner of the land on which the relevant oak tree stood lived abroad and had no arrangements for professional review of the trees on his property, in particular those that were close to the highway and therefore a potential hazard to road users. It was of concern that the lack of active management of the owner’s land continued some two and a half years after Mr Warren’s death. ”
Open source report
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Recipient name withheld; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Highway inspections conducted at speeds that reduce the likelihood of identifying tree hazards
Wider context from the report
“(1) The evidence at the Inquest revealed that Bracknell Forest Council employ Highways Inspectors to carry out driven and walked inspections in order to attempt to identify any potential hazards that might impact adversely on road users. (2) The Highway Inspectors were expected to identify a range of potential problems including potholes in the road, damaged or obscured signage and potential hazards from trees abutting the highway which were often of considerable height. There was little by way of guidance given to Highways Inspectors who had developed their own system of drive-by investigations conducted at a speed rarely less than thirty miles per hour. (3) The evidence highlighted the limited nature of training provided to Highway Inspectors in identifying potential hazards from trees. The two Inspectors who conducted a drive-by survey two days before the branch fell and killed Mr Warren and who had noted nothing of concern, had not completed any form of tree training since a two day course some seven years earlier. Another Highway Inspector who gave evidence at the Inquest, had never attended a formal training course with regard to tree hazards. (4) There is therefore a need for appropriate guidelines to be provided by Bracknell Forest Council to Highway Inspectors to ensure that they are properly trained in tree issues; that they have an appropriate system of work that ensures that they drive at a speed appropriate to maximise the chances of identifying tree hazards and that there should be a series of inspections which are limited to only the inspection of trees. (5) The evidence also revealed that there was very little by way of clear, detailed guidance available to Local Authorities as regards the appropriate systems of highway inspection of trees abutting the highway. There is a potential need for clear direction from a suitably qualified source to assist Local Authorities in this crucial role. (6) The owner of the land on which the relevant oak tree stood lived abroad and had no arrangements for professional review of the trees on his property, in particular those that were close to the highway and therefore a potential hazard to road users. It was of concern that the lack of active management of the owner’s land continued some two and a half years after Mr Warren’s death. ”
Open source report
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Recipient name withheld; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Absence of dedicated inspections of trees abutting the highway
Wider context from the report
“(1) The evidence at the Inquest revealed that Bracknell Forest Council employ Highways Inspectors to carry out driven and walked inspections in order to attempt to identify any potential hazards that might impact adversely on road users. (2) The Highway Inspectors were expected to identify a range of potential problems including potholes in the road, damaged or obscured signage and potential hazards from trees abutting the highway which were often of considerable height. There was little by way of guidance given to Highways Inspectors who had developed their own system of drive-by investigations conducted at a speed rarely less than thirty miles per hour. (3) The evidence highlighted the limited nature of training provided to Highway Inspectors in identifying potential hazards from trees. The two Inspectors who conducted a drive-by survey two days before the branch fell and killed Mr Warren and who had noted nothing of concern, had not completed any form of tree training since a two day course some seven years earlier. Another Highway Inspector who gave evidence at the Inquest, had never attended a formal training course with regard to tree hazards. (4) There is therefore a need for appropriate guidelines to be provided by Bracknell Forest Council to Highway Inspectors to ensure that they are properly trained in tree issues; that they have an appropriate system of work that ensures that they drive at a speed appropriate to maximise the chances of identifying tree hazards and that there should be a series of inspections which are limited to only the inspection of trees. (5) The evidence also revealed that there was very little by way of clear, detailed guidance available to Local Authorities as regards the appropriate systems of highway inspection of trees abutting the highway. There is a potential need for clear direction from a suitably qualified source to assist Local Authorities in this crucial role. (6) The owner of the land on which the relevant oak tree stood lived abroad and had no arrangements for professional review of the trees on his property, in particular those that were close to the highway and therefore a potential hazard to road users. It was of concern that the lack of active management of the owner’s land continued some two and a half years after Mr Warren’s death. ”
Open source report
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Recipient name withheld; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Limited training of Highway Inspectors in identifying tree hazards
Wider context from the report
“(1) The evidence at the Inquest revealed that Bracknell Forest Council employ Highways Inspectors to carry out driven and walked inspections in order to attempt to identify any potential hazards that might impact adversely on road users. (2) The Highway Inspectors were expected to identify a range of potential problems including potholes in the road, damaged or obscured signage and potential hazards from trees abutting the highway which were often of considerable height. There was little by way of guidance given to Highways Inspectors who had developed their own system of drive-by investigations conducted at a speed rarely less than thirty miles per hour. (3) The evidence highlighted the limited nature of training provided to Highway Inspectors in identifying potential hazards from trees. The two Inspectors who conducted a drive-by survey two days before the branch fell and killed Mr Warren and who had noted nothing of concern, had not completed any form of tree training since a two day course some seven years earlier. Another Highway Inspector who gave evidence at the Inquest, had never attended a formal training course with regard to tree hazards. (4) There is therefore a need for appropriate guidelines to be provided by Bracknell Forest Council to Highway Inspectors to ensure that they are properly trained in tree issues; that they have an appropriate system of work that ensures that they drive at a speed appropriate to maximise the chances of identifying tree hazards and that there should be a series of inspections which are limited to only the inspection of trees. (5) The evidence also revealed that there was very little by way of clear, detailed guidance available to Local Authorities as regards the appropriate systems of highway inspection of trees abutting the highway. There is a potential need for clear direction from a suitably qualified source to assist Local Authorities in this crucial role. (6) The owner of the land on which the relevant oak tree stood lived abroad and had no arrangements for professional review of the trees on his property, in particular those that were close to the highway and therefore a potential hazard to road users. It was of concern that the lack of active management of the owner’s land continued some two and a half years after Mr Warren’s death. ”
Open source report
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Recipient name withheld; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Lack of active management and professional review of trees close to the highway
Wider context from the report
“(1) The evidence at the Inquest revealed that Bracknell Forest Council employ Highways Inspectors to carry out driven and walked inspections in order to attempt to identify any potential hazards that might impact adversely on road users. (2) The Highway Inspectors were expected to identify a range of potential problems including potholes in the road, damaged or obscured signage and potential hazards from trees abutting the highway which were often of considerable height. There was little by way of guidance given to Highways Inspectors who had developed their own system of drive-by investigations conducted at a speed rarely less than thirty miles per hour. (3) The evidence highlighted the limited nature of training provided to Highway Inspectors in identifying potential hazards from trees. The two Inspectors who conducted a drive-by survey two days before the branch fell and killed Mr Warren and who had noted nothing of concern, had not completed any form of tree training since a two day course some seven years earlier. Another Highway Inspector who gave evidence at the Inquest, had never attended a formal training course with regard to tree hazards. (4) There is therefore a need for appropriate guidelines to be provided by Bracknell Forest Council to Highway Inspectors to ensure that they are properly trained in tree issues; that they have an appropriate system of work that ensures that they drive at a speed appropriate to maximise the chances of identifying tree hazards and that there should be a series of inspections which are limited to only the inspection of trees. (5) The evidence also revealed that there was very little by way of clear, detailed guidance available to Local Authorities as regards the appropriate systems of highway inspection of trees abutting the highway. There is a potential need for clear direction from a suitably qualified source to assist Local Authorities in this crucial role. (6) The owner of the land on which the relevant oak tree stood lived abroad and had no arrangements for professional review of the trees on his property, in particular those that were close to the highway and therefore a potential hazard to road users. It was of concern that the lack of active management of the owner’s land continued some two and a half years after Mr Warren’s death. ”
Open source report
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Recipient name withheld; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Lack of adequate guidance for Highway Inspectors on identifying tree hazards
Wider context from the report
“(1) The evidence at the Inquest revealed that Bracknell Forest Council employ Highways Inspectors to carry out driven and walked inspections in order to attempt to identify any potential hazards that might impact adversely on road users. (2) The Highway Inspectors were expected to identify a range of potential problems including potholes in the road, damaged or obscured signage and potential hazards from trees abutting the highway which were often of considerable height. There was little by way of guidance given to Highways Inspectors who had developed their own system of drive-by investigations conducted at a speed rarely less than thirty miles per hour. (3) The evidence highlighted the limited nature of training provided to Highway Inspectors in identifying potential hazards from trees. The two Inspectors who conducted a drive-by survey two days before the branch fell and killed Mr Warren and who had noted nothing of concern, had not completed any form of tree training since a two day course some seven years earlier. Another Highway Inspector who gave evidence at the Inquest, had never attended a formal training course with regard to tree hazards. (4) There is therefore a need for appropriate guidelines to be provided by Bracknell Forest Council to Highway Inspectors to ensure that they are properly trained in tree issues; that they have an appropriate system of work that ensures that they drive at a speed appropriate to maximise the chances of identifying tree hazards and that there should be a series of inspections which are limited to only the inspection of trees. (5) The evidence also revealed that there was very little by way of clear, detailed guidance available to Local Authorities as regards the appropriate systems of highway inspection of trees abutting the highway. There is a potential need for clear direction from a suitably qualified source to assist Local Authorities in this crucial role. (6) The owner of the land on which the relevant oak tree stood lived abroad and had no arrangements for professional review of the trees on his property, in particular those that were close to the highway and therefore a potential hazard to road users. It was of concern that the lack of active management of the owner’s land continued some two and a half years after Mr Warren’s death. ”
Open source report

Information checked against published PFD reports and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026

Reports, concerns and published responses

Reports over time

Concerns raised6

Lack of clear, detailed guidance for Local Authorities on highway inspection of trees

Highway inspections conducted at speeds that reduce the likelihood of identifying tree hazards

Absence of dedicated inspections of trees abutting the highway

Limited training of Highway Inspectors in identifying tree hazards

Lack of active management and professional review of trees close to the highway

Lack of adequate guidance for Highway Inspectors on identifying tree hazards