Widower of Pewsey woman hit by cyclist 'will not give up'

Peter Walker says he wants deaths involving cyclists to be treated the same as those involving motor vehicles

A widower who has been campaigning for years for cyclists who cause deaths or injuries to face specific charges says the delays are unacceptable.

Diana Walker, of Pewsey, Wiltshire, died in 2016 after being hit by a cyclist.

Her husband Peter has been asking for laws to be changed since her death.

The Department for Transport (DfT) said it planned to publish its response to a consultation on cycling offences as soon as it could.

The initial consultation took place in 2018.

The BBC had initially been told an announcement of the law change was due soon, but a DfT spokesperson retracted that.

Mrs Walker had been walking back from a nearby shop when she was hit by the cyclist while crossing a road in Pewsey on 13 May 2016.

She died in hospital the next day.

"She was a fantastic wife and a fantastic mother, and I am certain it wasn't her fault whatsoever," said Mr Walker.

An investigation at the time found no crime had been committed.

The Walkers had been married for 52 years

"The police didn't do anything as a cycle hasn't got a motor," said Mr Walker.

"And because of that they don't have to do anything."

Mr Walker said he had got "no further" on getting action taken since the DfT consultation concluded in November 2018.

"All I want is that if a pedestrian is killed by a cyclist, it is treated the same as any other motoring accident when a death occurs, that the police accident and investigation team have to be there on the spot immediately.

"If Diane had been hit and killed by a car in the high street in Pewsey there would have been a full police investigation."

Mr Walker added: "I think the Department for Transport have been dreadful, they've been hanging this on for seven years now."

A DfT spokesperson said they offered deepest sympathies to Mrs Walker's family and others affected by "these tragic deaths".

"We plan to publish our response to the cycling offences consultation as soon as we can," they said.

A statement from the office of Danny Kruger, the MP for Devizes, said he had recently discussed Mr Walker's campaign with the relevant minister and was awaiting further updates from the DfT.

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