Health and Safety Executive to prosecute Cambridgeshire County Council over guided busway deaths

A prosecution is being brought against Cambridgeshire County Council following the deaths of three people and the life-changing injuries sustained by a fourth person on the guided busway.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is taking action following the deaths, which occurred in three separate incidents.

Jennifer Taylor, 81, died when she was hit by a bus as she crossed the busway on foot at Fen Drayton on November 17, 2015.

Then almost three years later, cyclist Steve Moir, 50, died after colliding with a bus on the section of the busway between Cambridge railway station and Long Road on September 13, 2018.

Kathleen Pitts, 52, who was on foot, died after being hit by a bus on the section of the busway, also between Cambridge railway station and Long Road on October 26, 2021.

The fourth person, a teenage cyclist, was seriously injured when he collided with a bus in the guided section of the busway parallel to Kings Hedges Road less than a month later on November 9, 2021.

Cambridgeshire County Council will face a charge under s3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

The charge follows an extensive investigation by HSE, which is Britain’s workplace regulator.

A first hearing date will be confirmed in due course.

A statement from Cambridgeshire County Council said: “We can confirm the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has indicated they plan to start legal proceedings against the county council, following their investigation.

“We continue to extend our sincerest condolences to the families and friends of Jennifer Taylor, Stephen Moir and Kathleen Pitts.

“Safety on the busway is and remains a priority for the county council and the operators that use the busway. Since its opening in 2011, the Guided Busway has seen 33 million passenger journeys, the number of bus services has more than doubled, and during that time the council has worked with experts and made regular safety enhancements.

“There is a great deal of information to consider and for legal reasons it would not be appropriate to comment further in light of the decision taken by the HSE.”