Accidental death verdict at Thatcham cyclist inquest
The inquest, held at Newbury Town Hall yesterday (Wednesday) heard how Thatcham Town Cricket Club captain Robb Fraser, aged 40, of Henwick Lane, died at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading after being hit by a lorry on Benham Hill at the junction of Pound Lane on Tuesday, January 24.
Mr Fraser had been cycling from his home to into work at New Greenham Park-based Marcolin UK, between 7.30am and 7.45am.
He was waiting on Benham Hill, in a designated turning box, before making the right hand turn to Pound Lane where he faced an oncoming lorry.
He had not been wearing a cycle helmet, the inquest heard.
The lorry driver, Jonathan Payne, of Hanson based in Enterprise Way, Thatcham, was travelling on the Newbury-bound side of the road.
Mr Payne, who was on telephone call on a hands-free kit at the time, said that he was aware of a cyclist near him but told the inquest: "All of a sudden he was in front of me.
"I was never expecting him to come across me."
Eyewitness, Paul King, was driving in the direction of Reading when the incident happened.
He said: "He shot across to reach the curb on the other side [of the road] and a large lorry was coming from the other direction.
"I thought to myself 'If he makes that it will be a miracle'.
"He shot right in front of the lorry.
"He was completely safe where he was; if he had just waited.
"There was no way the lorry could have stopped."
Pedestrian, Christopher McMillan said in a statement: "The only way the accident couldn't have happened was if the cyclist chose not to cross.
Another witness, Frederick Barber, said that Mr Fraser's movements in attempting to cross the road were "unusual".
In a statement he said: "It was a sudden and aggressive movement.
"The lorry driver didn't stand a chance of stopping."
Forensic investigator, Tony Reading, of Hampshire Police, confirmed that prior to the crash the lorry was travelling at below 30mph in the 40mph zone.
He concluded that the fatal collision occurred either because Mr Fraser had not seen the lorry or that he had not made a correct assessment of the situation.
In a statement read out during the inquest, his widow Moira Fraser said her husband had been looking forward to trips to Edinburgh and South Africa later in the year and that he was "a man who had everything to live for."
Assistant deputy Berkshire coroner Anna Burnside recorded a verdict of accidental death.
Mr Fraser, father to a young daughter, was captain of Thatcham Town Cricket Club last season.