Harry Dunn crash: Changes to RAF Croughton entrance approved

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

Changes to improve safety at the entrance of the US Airforce base near where teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn died have been approved.

The 19-year-old died after he was involved in a crash with a car driven by Anne Sacoolas in August 2019 outside RAF Croughton, Northamptonshire,

The American claimed diplomatic immunity and returned to the US.

A spokesman for Mr Dunn's family said the plan to move the entrance closer to the A43 roundabout was "confused".

Traffic lights and filter lanes would also be installed to make sure motorists leaving the base did not go the wrong way or on the wrong side of the road.

West Northamptonshire Council's area planning committee approved the plan on Thursday.

According to the planning report, the change should be safer than the current arrangement at RAF Croughton

There was one abstention from a councillor who felt more should have been done by the base to assist Harry Dunn's family in their quest for answers about his death.

That sentiment was echoed by the Dunn family's representative Radd Seiger, who said no work on the base should be carried out before "justice is done for Harry and his family".

He said the proposals were "a bit of headscratcher" as they were separate from a review into road safety near US visiting forces bases being undertaken by the Road Safety Foundation.

Mr Seiger also questioned relocated the entrance of the base, saying he struggled "to understand the logic of moving" it closer to the A43, which he said was "one of the busiest highways in the country".

"There are plenty of other options," he added.

Mrs Sacoolas is the wife of a serviceman who was at the military base.

In January, a proposed court appearance by Mrs Sacoolas over the death of Mr Dunn was postponed, with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) saying it was to allow "ongoing" discussions with the legal team of the US national.

There has been no further update from the CPS since then.

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