Witnesses tried to save the life of cyclist hit by lorry near Bristol University, inquest hears

A cyclist died after she came off a pavement and swerved into the path of a lorry on a busy road near Bristol University, an inquest heard.

Rebecca Singh, of Nugent Close in Cotham, was travelling down Tyndall’s Park Road when she was hit by an 18-tonne HGV that was turning into Elmdale Road on the morning of September 22 last year.

In statements read aloud during the inquest at Avon Coroner’s Court yesterday (January 26), witnesses described how they watched in horror as the 27-year-old cyclist failed to look both ways as she approached the junction before mounting the kerb, leaving the pavement momentarily and colliding with the lorry.

Helen George, who was driving down Elmdale Road at the time, said: “Traffic was very heavy that morning.

“The cyclist had her head down towards the pavement and didn’t check to see what was coming.”

After the lorry hit Ms Singh and her bike the driver pulled to a stop.

Ms George said people quickly rushed over to help Ms Singh, two of whom revealed themselves to be a local doctor and a nurse, while an ambulance was called.

Although Ms Singh was initially conscious and talking to drivers, by the time Ms George returned from her car with a blanket, she had gone into cardiac arrest.

Despite the best attempt of witnesses and paramedics to save her, Ms Singh was pronounced dead at the scene.

A statement from the lorry driver, Michael Moran, who was operating the vehicle as part of his job for ETM Recycling, was also read aloud to the court.

Sadly, Mr Moran has now also died - the court heard that his death was not related to the collision.

Mr Moran stated that he had been employed by the firm for 20 years and had held an HGV licence for 44 years.

He said: “As I completed the turn into the junction, taking a wide left, someone shouted at me stop and I saw a female with her head in her hands.

“As I stopped and got out, a lad told me ‘someone’s just gone under your wagon’.”

According to witnesses Mr Moran ‘couldn’t talk, appeared to be in shock’ and was lead away from the scene after rushing over to help Ms Singh.

Mr Moran’s statement went on: “I was later approached by a paramedic who told me the cyclist had passed away.

“I don’t know how she got under there. I don’t know how it happened. I did not hear any impact all.”

An investigation carried out by Avon and Somerset Police’s Collision Investigation Unit found that Ms Singh’s bike was in good condition, with no defects that might have contributed to her death.

No traces of alcohol or drugs were found in either Ms Singh’s or Mr Moran’s systems at the time of the collision, and the lorry was found to be travelling ‘very slowly’ at just over 6mph.

PC Andy Bennet, who lead the investigation, said: “In my opinion, Ms Singh was taken by surprise and swerved, but this resulted in her travelling directly into the path of the lorry.

“Mr Moran couldn’t have been aware of her and even if he had been, he would not have expected her to leave the pathway and appear in front of his vehicle.

“In my opinion, Mr Moran would not have been able to avoid this collision from happening.”

Rebecca was originally from York and was working as an administrator at the time of her ‘very sad’ death.

Area coroner Mr Peter Harrowing concluded that Ms Singh had died from multiple injuries due to the ‘unavoidable’ road traffic collision.

He added: “Due to their relative positions, the lorry driver would not have been aware of Rebecca.

“Rebecca’s family are not in court today, but I would like to offer my sincerest condolences to them all.”