Car park work after fatal speed bump fall

A coroner said speed bumps in Cheadle's Tape Street car park had been the source of many falls

A council has been accused of lacking transparency following the death of an 89-year-old who fell over a speed bump in one of its car parks.

Folllowing the incident in Tape Street car park in Cheadle, in February 2024, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council was told it had to take action to prevent future deaths.

Assistant coroner Emma Serrano, who conducted the inquest into the death of Elizabeth Bury, who died due to complications following a fall, said the car park had been "the source of many falls because of the speed bumps."

The authority recently improved the car park, including replacing speed bumps, installing new signs and crossing points, but did not reference the reasons why.

Opposition Conservative councillor James Aberley said the council should have been more open about the reasons for the works.

"It took me three emails to officers to find out what was actually going on with these works on the car park, who was doing it and what the cost was, which felt a little non-transparent," he said.

He said he had an apology from the chief executive for the lack of information provided to his group on the works.

"It's difficult for our councillors to back up the council if we don't know what's going on," he said, adding that he found out the reason via a social media comment.

Maintenance and upgrading works had been carried out in the car park in September 2021.

Following the coroner's report in September 2024, the council inspected the car park along with the British Car Parking Association and Staffordshire Police.

While it was deemed to meet safety standards, the authority agreed that improvement works would be carried out in response to the coroner's concerns.

Councillor Charlotte Atkins, portfolio holder for services, said the council would "not normally" refer to a coroner's report in a press release.

While not referring to Ms Bury by name, she said it would have been insensitive to include the details of the pensioner's death in the announcement.

The council was making sure there was a pedestrian walkway, very clearly signed and devoid of trip hazards, she added.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.