The failure to fix a dangerous pothole at a badly designed junction led to the death of a cyclist in south London, a coroner ruled.
Lucia Ciccioli, 32, hit the pothole and fell into path of a lorry as she cycled to her new job at a Vietnamese restaurant.
The Italian waitress was going through a busy junction in Battersea when the road narrowed, a coroner’s report said.
As she ‘travelled over a dip in the road where it appeared as if a pot hole had not been repaired which caused her to lose her balance and fall and collide’ with the articulate lorry.
Lucia Ciccioli, 32, hit the pothole and fell into path of a lorry as she cycled to her new job at a Vietnamese restaurant
Miss Ciccioli, who was from Loro Piceno in Marche, Italy, had been living in the capital for four years when she suffered multiple traumatic injuries during the morning rush hour accident on October 24, 2016.
Despite efforts from Air ambulance doctors she died at the scene on Lavender Hill with the junction with Elspeth Road.
Assistant Coroner Russell Caller at Westminster Coroner’s Court has now sent a report to prevent future deaths to Transport for London and Wandsworth Council.
Mr Caller said: ‘The evidence was that Miss Lucia Ciccioli moved from lane one – dedicated to the turn left into Elspeth Road, into lane two as she crossed the junction cycling towards lavender Hill where the road appeared to narrow and Lucia Ciccioli travelled over a dip in the road where it appeared as if a pot hole had not been repaired which caused her to lose her balance and fall and collide with the MAN lorry.
‘During the inquest it was suggested that the cycle lane was possibly misplaced and cyclists had difficulty in using the same due to its close proximity to lane two particularly when large vehicles in particularly lorries were in lane two.
‘Notwithstanding that cyclist wished to remain in the centre of the road cyclists felt obliged to place themselves in lane one even though that was a dedicated route to the left into Elspeth Road.
‘Moreover, cyclists found it extremely difficult to keep in the middle of the road as they crossed the junction due to an apparent ‘narrowing of the road’ and a yellow box junction positioned in the middle of the junction – in which they could not legally stop.
‘Further cause for concern was that there was a pothole… which required urgent repair.
‘During the course of the inquest evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern.
‘In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken.
Assistant Coroner Russell Caller has called for action at the busy junction in Battersea to prevent future deaths
‘In the circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you.’
The report noted an inadequate cycle lane leading up to the lights, inadequate protection generally for cyclists riding towards the junction particularly those who want to go straight head or turn right, the yellow box, and no cycle lane provision in Lavender Hill immediately passed the junction.
The report added: ‘The narrow aspect of Lavender Hill immediately past the said junction places cyclists in a vulnerable position when they arrive in Lavender Hill from the said junction.
‘The dip in the road in Lavender Hill is dangerous and is in need of urgent repair.’
TFL and Wandsworth have 56 days to respond to the report.
At the time of Miss Ciccioli’s death, her family paid tribute to the ‘beautiful’ woman, who was ‘enthusiastic’ about her new job having recently had a promotion.
Her dad Davide said they warned her about cycling in London but she was headstrong.
He previously told the London Evening Standard: ‘We are destroyed. We still can’t comprehend what has happened, we don’t believe it.’
Ben Plowden, TfL’s Director of Strategy and Network Development for Surface Transport, said: ‘Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Lucia Ciccioli, who sadly lost her life while cycling in Battersea.
‘No death or serious injury is acceptable and we’re working hard with a range of partners to eliminate it from London’s roads.
‘This includes creating safer junctions and a Direct Vision Standard for Heavy Goods Vehicles to improve vehicle safety.
‘We are carefully reviewing the Coroner’s report and preparing our response..’