Dr Ling Felce: Widower wants compromise in Oxford cycling debate

James and Dr Ling Felce had been married for eight years when she died

The widower of an Oxford University scientist killed by a unqualified drug-driver has called for a change in the way cycling is discussed in the city.

Dr Ling Felce, 35, was killed instantly when she was hit by lorry driver Robert Whiting, 40, on 1 March.

Her husband James said much of the debate over cycling was "tribal" and asked for a "compromise" to be found.

Whiting, who was more than eight times over the drug-drive limit, was jailed for eight years at Oxford Crown Court.

Dr Felce's husband James said his wife had a "net strong positive impact" on the world

A working group was set up to improve cycling safety across Oxford after three women, including Dr Felce, were recently killed.

Jennifer Wong, 32, died in Headington last September, Ellen Moilanen, who was in her 40s, died near Oxford Parkway in February and Dr Felce was fatally injured just weeks later.

Speaking to the BBC after the sentencing, Mr Felce said: "The main call that I have is to have a more charitable discourse on [roads infrastructure]. A lot of it comes down to an us versus them mentality which I find very unsettling.

"As was noted in the court, Ling was cycling entirely properly and legally - there was nothing she did wrong.

"The fault was entirely that of the driver. The infrastructure they were working within is just not suited.

Mr Felce spoke to the BBC after the sentencing hearing at Oxford Crown Court

"A lot of the discussions I see on this is very much cyclists versus everybody else, drivers versus everybody else, and that completely misses the point.

"The point is that we want to have a safe system for everybody and that means fewer families will be in my position and fewer families will be in the defendant's position.

"People are somewhat tribal and even me - I'm not tribal in this regard despite what's happened to me - but I want to compromise and I want it to work for everybody."

Reflecting on his wife's life, Mr Felce said: "It was a short life but she did a lot with it. What she did continues - it's not ended with her, it ripples out from her.

A vigil was held for Dr Ling Felce at The Plain roundabout days after she died

"Everything she did professionally and personally and everyone she helped, it has a net strong positive impact on the world. It would have been stronger had she lived but we have what we have."

Sgt Dominic Mahon, of Thames Valley Police, said Whiting had received an "appropriate sentence".

"Mr Whiting chose that day to drive a 32-tonne vehicle which he was not licensed to drive, he'd never been trained to drive and the tragic result of that was the death of Dr Felce, a completely avoidable death," he said.