Road grit plan after bike deaths

Four member of Rhyl Cycling Club lost their lives

Better road gritting has been brought in after criticism at an inquest into Britain's worst cycling accident, councillors in Conwy have been told.

Four members of Rhyl Cycling Club were killed when a car skidded into them after hitting a patch of ice on a road near Abergele in January 2006.

Other measures include hand-held computers for officials to receive latest weather forecasts.

But councillors have called for a 50mph speed restriction on the A547 road.

They also requested that the cost of installing warning signs should be investigated.

Thomas Harland, 14, Maurice Broadbent, 61, Dave Horrocks, 55, and Wayne Wilkes, 42, died while on a 60-mile (96.5km) practice ride between the Great Orme and Llanrwst.

They were hit by motorist Robert Harris on the A547 Rhuddlan Road on an icy day.

In my case, it's lads I've known as far back as 30 years, and it really is a situation that leaves a hole in your life afterwards Bill Twigg, Rhyl Cycling Club

In August last year, Mr Harris was fined £180 with £35 costs and given six points on his licence after admitting having defective tyres - found not to be a factor in the crash.

But in June 2007, an inquest jury criticised a "serious lack of communication" between Conwy Council and its neighbouring authority Denbighshire when it came to road gritting.

Communication between councils and North Wales Police also came under fire.

The inquest heard that the route had not been gritted by Conwy Council on the morning of the bike ride, despite frost having been forecast.

Conwy's environment scrutiny committee met on Wednesday to discuss progress already made.

Some officers have been issued with hand-held computers to allow them to recieve up-to-the-minute forecasts.

Other new policies include putting extra grit on roads during icy conditions.

I'm glad something positive is coming out of this tragedy Chris Ruane, Vale of Clwyd MP

The committee approved the improvements, and also proposed that the speed limit on the A548 be reduced to 50mph from 60mph.

They also requested that the cost of installing warning signs should be investigated.

The proposals will be discussed by the council's cabinet.

Bill Twigg, the cycling club's president, said club members were "very reassured" by the new measures to improve road conditions in bad weather.

"It leaves us though, with the problem of motorists driving too fast, which is rather a constant thing on pretty well every road," he added.

Mr Twigg appealed for motorists to slow down to "try and avoid this kind of tragedy".

Chris Ruane, Vale of Clwyd MP, who campaigned for action following the deaths, said: "I'm glad something positive is coming out of this tragedy. I look forward to hearing the details," he said.

"However any best practice should be spread throughout the UK to ensure that something like this doesn't happen again."

The jury ruled out accidental death and returned a narrative verdict, which delivered factual statements on events leading to the four deaths.