Paul Millis · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On 10th December 2013 I commenced an investigation into the death of Paul Millis, dob 17/12/1957. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 09/04/2014. The conclusion of the inquest was the medical cause of death was: 1a Chest and pelvic injuries sustained in a road traffic collision. The conclusion was Road traffic collision.

The junction of Troon Way and Nicklaus Road, in Leicester, was altered in 2013, with the works being completed and the new junction operational on 25th November 2013. The incident resulting in the death of Paul Millis occurred shortly after 2200 hours on 3rd December 2013. Paul Millis was travelling in a westerly direction on Troon Way, having finished work nearby at 2200 hours. He was travelling home, and continued through the junction in that westerly direction, riding a motorbike.

As he went through the junction he was in the outer of the two lanes that progress on Troon Way. A motor car was ahead of him in the inner lane. When the two lanes merged Mr Millis has tried to either continue to overtake the car, or has started to overtake it. He travelled onto the opposing carriageway and struck a car in that carriageway head on. Evidence was given that a further serious incident has occurred at the junction since the 25th November 2013, which did not result in a fatality.

1. The merger of the 2 lanes occurs within a very short distance of the junction: approximately 35 metres. The process of merger by the 2 lanes is that the traffic moves in opposite directions – i.e. the inner lane moves to the right, thereby avoiding the verge, and the outer lane is directed by arrows to the left.

2. The westbound carriageway merges as described, and then as a single lane continues to the right until it straightens out into a single carriageway adjoining the eastbound traffic. The joining of the two flows of traffic occurs only 90 metres after the junction described above.

3. The situation described in 2 above means that any vehicle either behind another vehicle, or even beside it, will have a very delayed line of sight for traffic travelling eastbound, and likewise applies to eastbound traffic’s line of sight to a vehicle behind a first vehicle travelling westbound. As stated all of this movement of traffic is occurring in a very short distance and time.

4. It would appear that when the inner lane makes its sudden, very acute move to the right, that there is vacant verge area that would have allowed the lane to move less acutely.