Christopher Tandy · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On 02 August 2014 we commenced an investigation into the death of Christopher Tandy (CT) born 05 November 1985. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 04 June 2015. The conclusion of the inquest was death by misadventure. The medical cause of death was multiple injuries due to a road traffic collision. Alcohol intoxication was a contributory, but not a direct, cause.

At about 19.30h on 2nd August 2014 CT was cycling north over London Bridge. The carriageway was clear of traffic on his side of the road, as shown on CCTV. For unexplained reasons his cycle veered across the northbound carriageway, struck the kerb and precipitated him off the cycle, his body straddling the central reservation but with his head and upper thorax thrown into the offside of the southbound carriageway where he was struck by a motor car travelling south over London Bridge.

The car had travelled southwards from north London and entered the northern end of London Bridge, behind a London bus. As soon as he was able to overtake the bus, which moved nearside towards the bus stop, the driver accelerated past. The City of London collision investigator calculated the speed of the vehicle to have been 38 mph. At the time the speed limit on the road had then recently been reduced from 30 mph to 20 mph.

The driver of the car, a foreign national unfamiliar with roads in London, believed the speed limit to have been 30 mph at the time. Even had he been correct in his belief, the evidence of the collision investigator was that at 30 mph he would probably have been able to avoid the collision. Had he been travelling at or below 20 mph he would assuredly have avoided the collision.

A review of the signage and road layout suggest that there is opportunity to take steps to try to prevent a recurrence of deaths in comparable circumstances. A driver unfamiliar with City roads, having been stuck in slow-moving traffic through the city, and on seeing the road over London Bridge open out from, first, one lane, to two lanes then to three lanes, is tempted to accelerate to a speed above the new statutory limit.

I suggest that some improved signage is desirable, to remind drivers that the speed limit on the bridge remains 20 mph. I was informed in evidence that there is no prominent speed limit signage at the commencement of the bridge and that in other places in the City only the smaller 20 mph repeater signs are displayed.

A driver travelling from south to north over Southwark Bridge will see a large 30mph speed limit sign at the north end. If the driver turns right onto Upper Thames Street and then goes under London Bridge and turns left into Fish Street Hill, then left onto Monument Street and then left onto London Bridge there is no prominent signage to make clear that the speed limit reduces from 30 to 20mph.

Ideally, a separate lane for cyclists (e.g. as on Southwark Bridge) would separate them from vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

Please will you give consideration to the issues raised by this case and arrange to assess whether it is feasible to introduce additional safety measures and improved signage.