Harry Dunn: Road safety review commissioned around US bases

Harry Dunn died in hospital after his motorbike was involved in a crash outside RAF Croughton

A review into road safety near US visiting forces bases has been commissioned by the Transport Secretary after the death of Harry Dunn.

In a letter to Mr Dunn's family, Grant Shapps said the inspections will begin at RAF Croughton - the base near where the 19-year-old was fatally injured.

Mr Dunn died after his motorbike was involved in a crash with a car driven by Anne Sacoolas in August 2019.

The American claimed diplomatic immunity and returned to the US.

Anne Sacoolas, pictured on her wedding day in 2003, cited diplomatic immunity after a crash involving her car and Mr Dunn's motorbike outside RAF Croughton

Ms Sacoolas was charged with causing death by dangerous driving in December but an extradition request submitted by the Home Office was refused in January.

The US State Department has since said the decision to reject the request was "final".

Lawyers for Mrs Sacoolas said she drove "on the wrong side of the road for 20 seconds".

According to her legal representatives, Ms Sacoolas "instinctively" began driving on the right-hand side outside the Northamptonshire base, and could not see Mr Dunn due to "the crest of a small hill".

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told Mr Dunn's family of the review in a letter

Mr Shapps said the Road Safety Foundation will conduct a review of the roads around all 10 visiting forces bases in England.

The foundation will examine videos, and will rate roads and recommend any safety interventions to lower risks.

The other bases included in the review will be: RAF Barford St John in Oxfordshire, RAF Alconbury and RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire, Suffolk's RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall, RAF Feltwell in Norfolk, RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, Berkshire's RAF Welford and RAF Menwith Hill near Harrogate.

Mr Dunn's family spokesman Radd Seiger said: "We are incredibly grateful to the Secretary of State for getting behind this campaign.

"He, like us, recognises the risks to life and limb in these road environments outside US bases and is approaching the review of road safety absolutely correctly.

"We are glad that the Road Safety Foundation are taking the lead on the review and we hope that some good will come from it."