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Andrew Gough

A CORONER has called for a review of safety measures at Biddestone crossroads after a police officer was killed there last year.

The death of biker Andrew Gough, 41, was ruled an accident at an inquest held in Trowbridge Town Hall on Wednesday.

Wiltshire Coroner David Masters said this was the third fatality at the crossroads, which is not traffic light controlled, and called for a review to be undertaken.

Mr Gough, who was a serving officer with Avon and Somerset Police based at Filton police station near Bristol, was killed on the A420 when a car being driven by Nicholas Woellwarth pulled into the path of his motorcycle.

The crash left him with fatal chest injuries.

Mr Masters said: "In the light of the accident history at this junction, I consider that there should be a review of safety of this junction."

The inquest heard how at about 9.20pm on August 8, Mr Woellwarth had been travelling towards Chippenham from work at Hartham Park, near Corsham.

Mr Woellwarth had stopped at the crossroads and had seen what he believed to be a car coming towards him from his right.

It was in fact Mr Gough on his motorbike.

Mr Woellwarth pulled out into the crossroads in the belief that he would have enough time to cross safely.

It was at this point that Mr Gough, who was estimated to be travelling at around 74mph, tried to stop but came off his bike and collided with the Vauxhall Corsa's wheel arch, killing him.

Mr Woellwarth, who was at the inquest but declined to answer questions due to impending court proceedings, but in a police interview read out to the court, he said: "I stopped and looked left and right and forward to the junction and I could see lights. I thought it was another car.

"I thought I had enough time to pull out and I went right towards Chippenham.

"Then I felt a bang on the rear offside of my car. I spun my car round and I got out of the car and there was this person in the road."

In the statement he said he didn't think there was anything else he could have done and agreed when this was put to him by the coroner.

The inquest heard from eyewitness Peter Howlett, from St Ives in Cornwall, who had been working in Corsham at the time. He had been travelling towards the crossroads in the opposite direction from Mr Woellwarth.

Mr Masters read from a statement Mr Howlett gave to police. He saw a car making a U-turn, but he later realised it was actually the collision taking place.

He saw Mr Gough on the ground in his headlights.

After his statement had been read out, Mr Howlett told the court that he believed the unlit crossroads to be very dangerous.

PC Marcus Beresford-Smith, of the Northern Roads Policing Unit based at Swindon, who investigated the accident, also gave evidence.

He said because of the estimated speed the bike was travelling at, it might have given Mr Woellwarth only 13.5 seconds before he would have seen the bike.

If the bike was travelling at 60mph it was possible the accident might not have happened, PC Beresford-Smith added.

He also said it was possible the lights on the particular model of motorbike, an Aprilia, could be mistaken for headlights at a distance.

Mr Gough's fiancée Penny Walters and his sister, who were both visibly upset, did not wish to comment on the verdict.

The coroner's safety recommendation will now be followed up by the police and the highways department at Wiltshire County Council.

Wiltshire County Council said it met with Biddestone Parish Council last year to look into installing more signs at the junction and is an issue currently being investigated.

Mr Woellwarth has been summonsed to appear before Chippenham magistrates in connection with the incident.

Verdict: accidental death.

10:44am Friday 29th February 2008

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