Oxford crash: Crane lorry driver did not see Jennifer Wong before crash

Jennifer Wong was "lovely, caring and kind", her family said in a statement

A cyclist died after she fell into the path of a crane lorry whose driver had not seen her, an inquest has heard.

Jennifer Wong was hit in Headington Road, Oxford, at the junction with Headley Way, on 26 September 2021.

Oxford Coroner's Court heard eyewitnesses saw the 32-year-old "wobbling" moments before the accident.

Senior coroner for Oxfordshire Darren Salter was told an audit found nothing wrong with the junction last year but improvements will be made this month.

Ms Wong, who worked as a PA for a professor at Oxford Brookes University and lived in the city, was cycling along Headington Road at about 09:55 BST.

The inquest heard she had been moving at a similar speed to the crane lorry and was next to its nearside front wheel moments before she was run over.

The lorry, owned by Bristol-based JP Crane Hire, was being driven to the city's John Radcliffe Hospital.

Its driver, Gary Hicks, said he had indicated that he was turning left into Headley Way.

Police said they were unable to prove if or when Ms Wong would have been visible to Mr Hicks and if his driving fell below the required standard.

The junction had been upgraded as part of the £17m Access to Headington programme, which was completed in December 2020.

Tim Shickle, Oxfordshire County Council's group manager for traffic and road safety, said improvements would be made there from 28 August.

The changes include a dropped kerb along Headington Road so cyclists using Headley Way could use the shared path instead of the junction. A traffic light system giving cyclists a head start over other vehicles would also be installed.

Mr Salter said he would write to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps about the junction and recommend "relatively low cost" improvements to crane lorries, such as close proximity mirrors.

He said they would "certainly improve the chances" of drivers seeing people next to their vehicles.

Mr Salter recorded the conclusion of road traffic collision.