Kevin O'Reilly
17 Feb 2025 · Coroner Emma Serrano · Staffordshire
This report repeats 4 earlier warnings. See the linked reports.
The coroner's concerns
1. vehicles stopped in live lane without hard shoulder
“It was accepted at inquest that Mr [name redacted] was on an all lanes open motorway. This type of motorway has all lanes open for vehicles to use, and areas for vehicles to stop every 1.6 miles, but not areas in between”
2. no stopping area for stranded vehicles
“It was accepted that there was no area for vehicles to stop should they need to, unless they were near to the refuse areas spaced 1.6 miles apart, and the all lanes open motorways were not monitored”
Linked reports
Closely relatedConfidence 0.90 · high
Earlier report
“there is a 2.5 mile gap in the emergency refuge areas at this point; b) this section of the M6 is elevated and as such there is no land along the edge of the motorway to which occupants”
This report
“It was accepted that there was no area for vehicles to stop should they need to, unless they were near to the refuse areas spaced 1.6 miles apart, and the all lanes open motorways were not monitored.”
Closely relatedConfidence 0.80 · moderate
Earlier report
“- The obvious and foreseeable risk posed by the absence of a hard shoulder on”
This report
“i) It was accepted at inquest that Mr [name redacted] was on an all lanes open motorway. This type of motorway has all lanes open for vehicles to use, and areas for vehicles to stop every 1.6 miles, but not areas in between.”
Closely relatedConfidence 0.90 · high
Earlier report
“absence of a hard shoulder contributed to the collision. Had the [deceased's] vehicle been able to stop in a location other that a live lane, the offending HGV would not have driven into the back of it”
This report
“It was accepted at inquest that Mr [name redacted] was on an all lanes open motorway. This type of motorway has all lanes open for vehicles to use, and areas for vehicles to stop every 1.6 miles, but not areas in between.”
Identical hazardConfidence 0.90 · high
Earlier report
“THERE WAS NOWHERE FOR THE DRIVER OF THE FIRST VEHICLE TO PARK SAFELY”
This report
“It was accepted at inquest that Mr [name redacted] was on an all lanes open motorway. This type of motorway has all lanes open for vehicles to use, and areas for vehicles to stop every 1.6 miles, but not areas in between”