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| Road grit plan after bike deaths | |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| Better road gritting has been brought in after criticism at an inquest into Britain's worst cycling accident, councillors in Conwy have been told. | |
| Four members of Rhyl Cycling Club were killed when a car skidded into them after hitting a patch of ice on a road near Abergele in January 2006. | Four members of Rhyl Cycling Club were killed when a car skidded into them after hitting a patch of ice on a road near Abergele in January 2006. |
| Other measures include hand-held computers for officials to receive latest weather forecasts. | |
| But councillors have called for a 50mph speed restriction on the A547 road. | |
| They also requested that the cost of installing warning signs should be investigated. | |
| Thomas Harland, 14, Maurice Broadbent, 61, Dave Horrocks, 55, and Wayne Wilkes, 42, died while on a 60-mile (96.5km) practice ride between the Great Orme and Llanrwst. | Thomas Harland, 14, Maurice Broadbent, 61, Dave Horrocks, 55, and Wayne Wilkes, 42, died while on a 60-mile (96.5km) practice ride between the Great Orme and Llanrwst. |
| They were hit by motorist Robert Harris on the A547 Rhuddlan Road on an icy day. | They were hit by motorist Robert Harris on the A547 Rhuddlan Road on an icy day. |
| In my case, it's lads I've known as far back as 30 years, and it really is a situation that leaves a hole in your life afterwards Bill Twigg, Rhyl Cycling Club | In my case, it's lads I've known as far back as 30 years, and it really is a situation that leaves a hole in your life afterwards Bill Twigg, Rhyl Cycling Club |
| In August last year, Mr Harris was fined £180 with £35 costs and given six points on his licence after admitting having defective tyres - found not to be a factor in the crash. | In August last year, Mr Harris was fined £180 with £35 costs and given six points on his licence after admitting having defective tyres - found not to be a factor in the crash. |
| But in June 2007, an inquest jury criticised a "serious lack of communication" between Conwy Council and its neighbouring authority Denbighshire when it came to road gritting. | But in June 2007, an inquest jury criticised a "serious lack of communication" between Conwy Council and its neighbouring authority Denbighshire when it came to road gritting. |
| Communication between councils and North Wales Police also came under fire. | Communication between councils and North Wales Police also came under fire. |
| The inquest heard that the route had not been gritted by Conwy Council on the morning of the bike ride, despite frost having been forecast. | The inquest heard that the route had not been gritted by Conwy Council on the morning of the bike ride, despite frost having been forecast. |
| Conwy's environment scrutiny committee met on Wednesday to discuss progress already made. | Conwy's environment scrutiny committee met on Wednesday to discuss progress already made. |
| Some officers have been issued with hand-held computers to allow them to recieve up-to-the-minute forecasts. | Some officers have been issued with hand-held computers to allow them to recieve up-to-the-minute forecasts. |
| Other new policies include putting extra grit on roads during icy conditions. | Other new policies include putting extra grit on roads during icy conditions. |
| I'm glad something positive is coming out of this tragedy Chris Ruane, Vale of Clwyd MP | I'm glad something positive is coming out of this tragedy Chris Ruane, Vale of Clwyd MP |
| The committee approved the improvements, and also proposed that the speed limit on the A548 be reduced to 50mph from 60mph. | The committee approved the improvements, and also proposed that the speed limit on the A548 be reduced to 50mph from 60mph. |
| They also requested that the cost of installing warning signs should be investigated. | They also requested that the cost of installing warning signs should be investigated. |
| The proposals will be discussed by the council's cabinet. | The proposals will be discussed by the council's cabinet. |
| Bill Twigg, the cycling club's president, said club members were "very reassured" by the new measures to improve road conditions in bad weather. | Bill Twigg, the cycling club's president, said club members were "very reassured" by the new measures to improve road conditions in bad weather. |
| "It leaves us though, with the problem of motorists driving too fast, which is rather a constant thing on pretty well every road," he added. | "It leaves us though, with the problem of motorists driving too fast, which is rather a constant thing on pretty well every road," he added. |
| Mr Twigg appealed for motorists to slow down to "try and avoid this kind of tragedy". | Mr Twigg appealed for motorists to slow down to "try and avoid this kind of tragedy". |
| Chris Ruane, Vale of Clwyd MP, who campaigned for action following the deaths, said: "I'm glad something positive is coming out of this tragedy. I look forward to hearing the details," he said. | Chris Ruane, Vale of Clwyd MP, who campaigned for action following the deaths, said: "I'm glad something positive is coming out of this tragedy. I look forward to hearing the details," he said. |
| "However any best practice should be spread throughout the UK to ensure that something like this doesn't happen again." | "However any best practice should be spread throughout the UK to ensure that something like this doesn't happen again." |
| The jury ruled out accidental death and returned a narrative verdict, which delivered factual statements on events leading to the four deaths. | The jury ruled out accidental death and returned a narrative verdict, which delivered factual statements on events leading to the four deaths. |