Mile End death cyclist named; another critical after coach crash

The bike rider killed when he was hit by a tipper lorry on London's Cycling Superhighway 2 in Mile End yesterday has been named as Brian Holt, a porter at Mile End Hospital.

Mr Holt, a married father, was described by colleagues as a “wonderful man who would be sadly missed”.

The collision happened at the junction of Mile End Road and Bancroft Road at aboyut 4:50 on Tuesday afternoon. Witnesses said the lorry struck Mr Holt after pulling away from traffic lights at the junction.

The Metropolitan police believe that the lorry was not turning at the time of the collision.

Motiur Khan, 22, told the Evening Standard: “The lorry was behind the cyclist and sort of went into the back of him. He hit the cyclist who went under the lorry which just ran over and crushed him.”

Will Hutton, 41 said: “It was a horrible scene. A motorcyclist was shouting at a tipper truck, which I assume was involved in the collision, to stop. The traffic had been moving slowly, so I do not think the truck can have been going very fast.”

Police interviewed the driver under caution, but he was not arrested.

Brian Holt is the third cyclist to die on Cycle Superhighway 2, which was described in the inquest into the death of Brian Dorling at its Bow roundabout eastern end as “just a piece of blue paint” by a crash investigator and as “confusing” and “an accident waiting to happen” by the coroner.

Just hours after Brian Holt was killed another cyclist sustained serious head injuries when he was struck by a coach in Holborn at a junction where two other cyclists have died since 2007.

He was taken to St Mary’s hospital where a Met police spokeswoman said this morning: “He is still in a critical condition.”

The coach and the cyclist are believed to have both been turning left toward Euston at the junction of  Vernon Place and Southampton Row.

Sainsbury’s security officer Omar Sillah said: “I heard a bang and I rushed out to see what was happening. I saw the man on the floor bleeding. His body wasn’t moving.”

Anyone with information about the two collisions is asked to help police investigate by calling 0208 597 4747.