Woman killed as she tried to cross road

A woman was killed by a speeding minibus as she tried to cross a busy Black Country road with her fiance, an inquest heard.

Claire Holloway was thrown nearly 100ft onto the other side of the dual carriageway, after being struck by the vehicle travelling along the busy A4123 Wolverhampton Road in Oldbury. Black Country coroner Robin Balmain recorded a verdict of death by road traffic collision, following an inquest on the tragedy, which was held in Smethwick yesterday.

The 32-year-old was killed as she was walking home to Linden Avenue with fiance David Edwards at 8.30pm on October 4 last year.

The coroner’s court was told skid marks at the scene suggested the 26-year-old minibus driver, Oliver Hill from Bromsgrove, was travelling above the 40mph speed limit as he approached the traffic lights at the junction with Bury Hill Road, where Miss Holloway was trying to cross.

The lights were green for traffic but the victim had tried to run across to the central reservation.

Mr Hill, of Lingfield Walk, was arrested following the accident but later released without charge.

He was driving back alone from work, where he had been using the minibus to care for young people with learning difficulties.

The driver was called to speak during yesterday’s inquiry as a witness but refused to answer questions about his speed.

He said: “I want the family and Mr Edwards to know, there is nothing I could have done.”

Miss Holloway had been drinking on the day she died, the inquest heard.

On reaching his verdict, Mr Balmain said: “There’s no escaping the fact that it was ill-advised of Claire to cross the road at that particular time. It may be that her judgement was clouded by the fact she had been drinking.

“Mr Hill was driving at a very inappropriate speed.

“I’m satisfied Mr Hill was not driving in a competent fashion but I’m not satisfied it was far below what would be expected or so bad to be able to record a verdict of unlawful killing.”