‘Act now’: Coroner calls for urgent change after cyclist’s death at risky intersection

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A Victorian coroner wants the transport department to urgently address safety risks at bicycle intersections across the state, as concerns about signalling had been raised before this year’s death of cyclist Angus Collins.

Collins, 22, was riding about 40km/h on a separated bicycle lane when he was unable to break in time and collided with a cement truck turning left at the intersection of the Footscray Road trail and Dock Link Road, in Footscray on February 2. Both Collins and the truck driver had green lights.

Cyclist Angus Collins was killed in a collision with a truck in February.

Coroner David Ryan on Friday told a hearing into Collins’ death that dual green lights for separated bicycle lanes and left-turning traffic was not a “unique configuration” and remained in place at numerous intersections across Victoria.

Ryan noted coronial findings were made regarding the death of another cyclist in 2021 at an intersection with the same “risk profile”, and said the Department of Transport and Planning was aware of the risks with the lighting configuration before the collision that killed Collins.

Ryan urged the department to take the lead and address the issue with a “co-operative attitude” now, rather than wait for the findings from a coronial investigation into Collins’ death, which would be some time away.

“The department is aware of the issue but obviously, it’s arisen again,” the coroner said.

“There are many other intersections [in Victoria] with that profile.

“I know the department is aware of some of the risks associated with that profile.”

Collins’ family sat in the Coroners Court and heard a decision had not been made on whether a full public inquest was needed.

Collins’ death came almost six years after Arzu Karakoc, a Moonee Ponds mother of two, was killed in a collision with a truck in 2017 at another Footscray intersection with simultaneous bicycle and traffic green lights.

The Footscray intersection where Angus Collins was hit and killed.Credit: Jason South

A 2021 inquest into the law student’s death recommended the department “review the risk and therefore appropriateness” of the light signals due to their safety risks.

Leading Senior Constable Dani Lord, the counsel assisting Ryan, said an investigation found Collins was riding on the bike path adjacent to Footscray Road and approached the intersection as a fully laden twin-steer concrete mixer performed a left-hand turn.

When Collins saw the 28-tonne concrete truck, Lord said, the cyclist attempted to use his emergency brakes but skidded onto the roadway when he hit sand and stone debris, and was thrown underneath the truck.

He died at the scene and is one of five cyclists killed on Victorian roads this year. No charges against the truck driver have been laid.

The court heard concerning features of the Footscray intersection included large concrete pillars attached to the overpass, which obstructed the view of cyclists as they approached.

Other concerns include the lack of speed reduction measures for cyclists approaching the intersection or warnings signs to modify speed, and the synchronisation of the green lights.

Ryan said the department should investigate the synchronisation issue now.

Arzu Karakoc was killed in a 2017 collision with a truck.Credit: Facebook

“One of the features of this particular intersection is with oncoming cyclists having a green bicycle light coincidentally with left-turning traffic also having a green light,” he said.

“It is not a unique configuration with intersections in Victoria and there are many other intersections with that profile.

“I want to encourage the department … to act now in relation to pursuing strategies to reduce the safety risks associated with the relevant intersection on Footscray Road and other intersections with a similar risk profile.

“In my view there is no need to wait until this [coronial] investigation is concluded and a finding is published. It’s in public interest that prevention opportunities be explored as soon as possible.”

Dan Kneipp, chief executive of cycling safety charity the Amy Gillett Foundation, welcomed the coroner’s comments, but said it was tragic that earlier warnings about dual green light intersections were ignored.

“A lot of people’s lives have been really shattered by something that could have easily been fixed,” Kneipp said.

“If we’ve ignored a coroner’s report and someone’s [been] killed again, then we shouldn’t be shocked, but we should be outraged. Now the challenge is making sure that the state government listens to it.”

Kneipp said re-sequencing the timing of traffic lights to give cyclists a few seconds head start was a simple and inexpensive solution that would save lives.

In the inquest into Karakoc’s death, coroner Caitlin English also called for mandatory “side underrun” protection on trucks, which protect pedestrians and cyclists from being dragged underneath trucks, and mirrors to help drivers with blind spots.

Twelve cyclists were killed on Victoria’s roads last year and 373 were hospitalised in the 12 months to July 2022, according to TAC data.

The Department of Transport and Planing has been contacted for comment.

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