Speed limit 'too high' after woman and dog killed

Cheryl and her dog Freddie died while trying to cross the road at the end of her driveway on Sarratt Road

The speed limit on a country lane where a woman and her dog were killed is "too high", according to a coroner.

Cheryl Edwards and her pet dog Freddie were leaving the driveway that led to her house in Sarratt, Hertfordshire, when they were hit by a car.

Coroner Geoffrey Sullivan said he feared "there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken" to lower the 60mph speed limit.

He presented the findings to Hertfordshire County Council, which has a duty to respond by the end of October.

Ms Edwards, 62, was crossing the road at about 18:15 BST on 28 September 2023, when the collision happened.

The coroner said: "The driver of the car had insufficient time to respond to her presence in the road."

She and her dog Freddie were confirmed dead at the scene.

As drivers leave Sarratt village, they enter a national speed limit zone of 60mph

The inquest heard from an experienced collision investigator from Hertfordshire Constabulary, who analysed the stretch of road between the M25 and Sarratt village.

He found the road had "a number of residential properties with driveways accessing it" and contained verges with "dense foliage".

"This restricts the view of approaching drivers and any pedestrians leaving their houses or crossing the road," he said.

The investigator's opinion was that "the speed limit of 60mph on Sarratt Road is too high" due to the "characteristics of the road".

Mr Sullivan agreed with this view in his Prevention of Future Deaths Report, and recommended action was taken by Hertfordshire County Council.

Shortly after her death, Ms Edwards family paid tribute to her, saying: "Cheryl was an amazingly caring, loving and adventurous mother, nanny and friend.

"Full of joy and laughter, Cheryl is loved and will be missed but never forgotten in the hearts of those she touched throughout her life."