The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Bus deaths’ inquest
A bus driver, who was killed along with a passenger when his double-decker collided with a lorry attempting to turn onto the A47, reacted less than one second before the crash, an inquest has found.
Michael Elcombe, 45, from Swaffham, in Norfolk, was killed when the First Eastern Counties bus he was driving collided with an articulated lorry turning out of the Bretts Transport yard onto the A47 at Guyhirn at about 7:28am on June 26, 2018.
Brian Chapman, 76, from Kettering, who was sitting at the front of the top deck of the bus that was travelling between Peterborough and Norwich, was also killed in the crash.
Five other passengers suffered what were described as “significant” injuries by Coroner Simon Milburn, sitting at Peterborough Town Hall on Wednesday.
The lorry was being driven byagencyworkerTyroneMundell-Phipps,whogaveevidence at the inquest.
The cause of death for both Mr Chapman and Mr Elcombe was declared to be multiple traumatic injuries – which were “significant” and “unsurvivable” suffered as a result of a road traffic collision.
Both were attended to by paramedics but passed away at the scene at 8:26am and 8:34am respectively.
The inquest heard the bus was driven at a consistent speed of 53mph and that the road conditions and weather were fine and good, leading to no obstructions.
The coroner concluded that Mr Elcombe had not fallen asleep at the wheel, such was the conclusion of a sleep expert, but instead that he showed signs of being drowsy and inattentive.
Dashcam footage from a minute immediately prior to the incident showed Mr Elcombe fidgeting in his seat before, yawning, having a “loose andunusual”griponthesteering wheel before spotting the lorry.
Coroner Milburn said: “It is clear in my judgement that Mr Elcombe did not note the presence of the Scania until that point – less than one second prior to the collision – even though it was an obvious obstruction in the carriageway and visible to him at least 160 metres and seven seconds prior.
“Immediately prior to the collision,MrElcombewasinattentive,probablyduetodrowsiness or fatigue, to the extent that he did not notice or react to the presence of the Scania and the trailer to the very last moment.”
The specific reasons Mr Elcombe would have been drowsy of fatigued on that morning remain unclear but MrElcombe’swifeSoniastated in a statement on Tuesday that he had gone to bed at around 10pm the night before, getting upataround4amtogotowork.
She did, however, admit that generally his sleep regime was “poor” and that he might notgotobedsometimesbefore 1am before getting up at 4am.
She said that Mr Elcombe had told her that he was previously involved in a collision having fallen asleep but the coroner was satisfied this happenedbeforehewasemployed by First Eastern Counties in 2004 and the company had no knowledge of it.
MrsElcombeevenreported being on buses driven by him when she thought he was falling asleep and that she would go and talk to him and/or give him a drink.
No one was prosecuted following the incident.
Coroner Milburn offered an apology to the family of Mr Chapman,whowereinattendancethatproceedingshadtaken so long to be heard.
Senior councillors have unanimously agreed to support Peterborough City Council’s (PCC) purchase of the land under its offices at Fletton Quays.
PCC’s Conservative cabinet, chaired by leader Wayne Fitzgerald, approved the acquisition of Sand Martin House’s freehold at a meeting this week – which will mean amending the council’s budget.
The council will have to borrow money to complete the transaction, PCC documents say, although savings are anticipated in the long term as it would no longer have to pay for the building’s leasehold.
A purchase price has been agreed with the land’s current owner, Legal & General Assurance (Pensions Management) Limited, Cllr Andy Coles told the cabinet, although the sale is not yet fully complete.
After his introduction, the remainder of the cabinet’s discussion on the matter was held in a private session – from which public and the press are excluded – so that members could refer to a document restricted from general access because it refers to the “financial and business affairs of the Council”.
But it will be discussed again at a meeting next month as the cabinet’s decision remains subject to full council approval.
This is because the budget they voted through in February would change if the sale goes through.
Cabinet approval will, however, help to support the sale ahead of that, Cllr Coles said, as Legal & General Assurance “requires comfort that the council is committed to the purchase”.