Family hits out at ‘danger’ junction where man died

84-YEAR-OLD KILLED AFTER BEING HIT BY A CAR

THE widow of a man killed as he crossed the road outside his house on the way to post a birthday card has hit out at the “incredibly dangerous” design of the junction.

Terence Gillard, 84, was hit by a car last month in Great West Road, dying seven days later.

His partner of 45 years Chotti, 70, said: “I still can’t believe he’s not coming home.

“I know he isn’t, but it’s so hard, so hard. He was our life, the linchpin of the whole family and now he’s not there.

“It’s a great big hole and I don’t think it’s ever going to be filled.”

Following the accident on September 11, Terry’s injuries were extremely severe, suffering a brain haemorrhage, a fractured shoulder, a burst lung, broken ribs, and a misaligned spine.

Chotti added: “They said the internal bleeding never stopped until his last minute. It was a horrendous accident which should never had happened if there was a safe crossing.”

The junction between Great West Road and Jersey Road – managed by TfL – has no pedestrian crossing lights or buttons, relying on pedestrians to judge when to go based on whether traffic is still.

“This makes it easy to misjudge and walk just before traffic is released, an oversight that proved deadly in Terry’s case.

Chotti continued: “People race up and down Great West Road and Jersey Road every day.

“I’ve complained but they haven’t taken any notice. You take your life into your hands when crossing this junction.”

She now plans to petition TfL to install pelican crossing controls on the road.

She said: “This is my mission now, in my husband’s memory. I hope that if I can make a difference then some other family won’t have to go through what we’re going through – the pain and the total emptiness.”

Terry was a keen historian and artist who loved to read and paint, Chotti said, recalling that “he wasn’t a typical 84-year-old”.

She said: “If you saw him you’d think he was much younger. He was fit, healthy, a wonderful husband and a loving father. He is so missed.

“Where we live in a block of flats he was the director and he did everything.

“After he passed we got a wreath saying ‘Terry, you were the block and you’ll be sorely missed’.”

She added: “He was just such a decent honest person that it’s a loss not only to his immediate family but all the people here and all his clients.

“They all said he was their favourite uncle – he could listen and talk to them for hours.

“He was my everything. He was my carer because I suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. If I needed help, opening bottles, anything, he was there for me.

“Now I’m left bereft – somebody’s taken him away from us.”

Police say the driver of the car that hit Terry, aged in his 60s, stopped at the scene and was later interviewed under caution.

The enquiry into the collision is ongoing.

Penny Rees, TfL’s head of healthy streets investment and delivery, said: “Our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of Mr Gillard.

“Reducing danger on roads across the capital is a vital part of our Vision Zero commitment to eliminate death and serious injury.

“Subject to future funding, we plan to continue our programme of new signalised pedestrian crossings across London and will ensure this location is reviewed as a priority.

“We have also identified areas across London that could benefit from changes in speed limit, and are now working to lower speeds on 220km of our roads across inner and outer London by 2024, including this section of the A4.”

Terry Gillard