A COUPLE have spoken of their relief after an investigation into their daughter’s death on a cycle path more than six years ago finally finished.

But David and Alison Milnes, from York, said they still found it shocking that their 17-year-old daughter Ruby was killed by a lorry on what had been publicised as a ‘Traffic-Free Safe Route to School.’ They also said questions still remained unanswered about the removal of a barrier across the cycle path prior to her death, which had previously slowed cyclists as it crossed a road used by the lorry to get to York Racecourse.

York’s acting senior coroner Jonathan Leach, concluding that Ruby’s death on her way home from York College on May 8, 2008, was accidental, said it did not appear a risk assessment had been carried out over the barrier’s removal.

The inquest was told there were no road markings or signs to warn either cyclists or drivers about the path/road junction, and a large hedge also prevented lorry driver Stephen Todd seeing Ruby, and her seeing his lorry, at least until it was too late. However, the barrier had since been reinstated, warning signs had been put up and the hedge had been cut back.

Mark Hatfield, of the Health and Safety Executive, said he understood the barrier’s main purposes had been to prevent motorcyclists using the path, and it had been removed because it blocked access to the path by disabled people and cycles with trailers.

Traffic Constable Stuart Langford said an iPod was found at the scene which Ruby might have been wearing and prevented her hearing the lorry. However, Mr Milnes said he had been told that police had conducted an exercise which had concluded wearing one would have made little difference.