Cambridgeshire busway death inquest: 'Lighting needed at stop'

Jennifer Taylor suffered traumatic injuries in the crash

Lighting should be installed at a stop where a woman was killed while crossing a guided busway, a coroner has suggested.

Jennifer Taylor's death after Christmas shopping was an accident, the inquest jury concluded.

Mrs Taylor, 81, was hit by a bus as she crossed the route with her husband John, at Fen Drayton, Cambridgeshire, in November 2015.

The couple were walking in the dark after missing their stop.

Mrs Taylor, from Over, suffered severe trauma injuries.

Jennifer Taylor, 81, was killed as she crossed the guided busway with her husband, John

Mr Taylor told the inquest it had been difficult to see where the crossing was because there was no lighting at the bus stop.

Assistant coroner for Cambridgeshire, Paul Clark, suggested adding solar stud lighting at the stop.

Cambridgeshire County Council agreed with his recommendation and said it was something it would do in the near future.

Mr Taylor told the inquest how his life had changed after losing his wife because they were "joined at the hip" and had always been together.

'Rag doll'

He said he saw the lights from a bus but thought there was enough time to reach the other side.

He only became aware his wife had been hit when he saw her in the road having been thrown "like a rag doll" by the impact of the crash, he said.

The speed limit has been reduced from 40mph to 20pmh and new signs have been put up warning people of buses passing at the crossing

A passenger on the bus said she only became aware of the crash after she heard a "bang" but hadn't realised they had hit a person.

Several safety measures have been implemented since Mrs Taylor's death.

The speed limit has been reduced from 40mph to 20pmh and new signs have been put up warning people of buses passing at the crossing.