A lapse in concentration by a long-time Spalding GP may have contributed to his death in a road traffic accident, an inquest has heard.
Dr Charles Lennon, who had been at the Munro Medical Centre in West Elloe Avenue for 28 years, was cycling along the A15 near Thurlby when he was in collision with a bus.
The inquest at Boston Coroner’s Court heard that Dr Lennon, a keen cyclist, had put his arm out to signal his intention to turn right, but hadn’t looked to see if anything was coming.
Paul Cooper, senior coroner for South Lincolnshire, ruled that Dr Lennon’s death had been accidental by virtue of a road traffic collision.
He commented: “The accident has been thoroughly investigated by the police and no blame can be attached to the bus driver.
“The CCTV is the most relevant in this case and it shows that Dr Lennon didn’t check over his shoulder.
“He put his arm out and then turned across right in front of the bus.
“It could only have been a lapse in concentration. I’m not blaming Dr Lennon because, as an experienced cyclist, he wouldn’t have turned if he had seen the bus.”
Mr Cooper revealed that Dr Lennon had died due to a combination of head and chest injuries after he had collided with the Delaine double decker bus.
The bus was being driven by Stephen Searson, who had been a bus driver for the past 17 years and had a full, clean licence with no accidents.
Mr Searson told the inquest that as he approached the cyclist he waited for a couple of oncoming cars to pass before he started to pull out at the best opportunity to overtake.
He said: “The cyclist didn’t look behind. He put his arm out and started to turn, but I was already committed to overtaking and couldn’t stop.
“I braked as hard as I could as the bus went on the grass verge and I had to avoid going into the dyke.
“I was committed to overtaking when he signalled and moved across – he didn’t check behind.”
PC Godfrey Barlow, a forensic collision investigator with Lincolnshire Police, said that the bus was fitted with 10 CCTV cameras which were the most reliable source of evidence in this case.
He explained: “The CCTV showed that the cyclist extended his right arm and started to move across, but the bus had already started to go past Dr Lennon.
“Dr Lennon raised his arm and went to cross, but he did not look behind.
“The bus driver could have done nothing more. He had applied the brakes, but couldn’t do it violently or try to swerve out of the way because the safety of his passengers were also his concern.
“There is a crossing to the cycle path which Dr Lennon was heading for 300m earlier which would have been a far safer option.
“Speed was not a factor and there were no defects on the vehicle.”
Statements from three passengers on the Peterborough to Bourne bus that day also confirmed that Dr Lennon had turned across in front of the bus without checking if anything was coming.
Dr Lennon (60) had only retired from the Munro Medical Centre eight days before his death on November 8. He had started at the practice in 1988 as a sixth doctor.
