Image source, Howard Family
Image caption, Barry Howard had taken an alternate route home to avoid football traffic Article information
- Author, Andy Trigg
- Role, BBC News, Norfolk
- Reporting from Norfolk Court of Appeal
-
7 minutes ago
A lifelong Norwich City fan drowned while driving home from a match in a river after a ford closure sign was left upside down at the side of the road, a coroner’s court heard.
Barry Howard, 75, died when his car was dragged 30 metres (100 feet) into the River Tas near Newton Flotman on December 13.
During the investigation, Norfolk County Council said they did not know how the sign at Shotesham Ford came to be on the edge of Mill Lane and that they were working on a permanent safety solution.
Coroner Samantha Goward said she was concerned about the council’s response to the “tragedy” and said action must be taken to prevent future deaths.
“I worry that people don’t realize that a car on that stretch of road could end up in a river,” she said.
The investigation found that Norfolk Police had previously been called out to nine incidents involving vehicles stuck at the ford.
Image source, Martin Giles/BBC
Image caption, The ford, which is currently closed, is permanently flooded, with water depths ranging from 10 cm to almost a metre.
The investigation found that on December 13 no road signs warning of the ford would have been “visible” until Mr Howard was already surrounded by water, which according to the gauge was 0.8 metres deep in the centre.
On both sides of the crossing the road was under water up to about 100 meters.
In a statement, Howard’s family said of the “horrific night” that they did not believe he knew the way.
“We believe he did not have the necessary information to make an informed decision or understand the risks,” the researchers said.
Image source, Martin Giles/BBC
Image caption, An additional sign has now been placed at the ford
The council said police had requested the closure of Mill Lane on October 21 due to heavy rainfall.
As an emergency measure, the Department of Roads and Traffic installed a road closure sign and plastic barriers, which remained in place for seven weeks before Howard’s death.
When Mr Howard’s family asked why a more permanent solution had not been put in place in those weeks, David Jacklin, the council’s roads manager, said: “Ideally we could have put a diversion in place but they didn’t do that and there was no more drastic follow-up.”
When asked why, Mr Jacklin replied: “I don’t know, I can’t answer that.”
The coroner also asked Mr Jacklin whether he thought Mill Lane needed a warning sign for possible flood water, to which Mr Jacklin replied: “No, ma’am”.
“Then why is the road still closed?” she replied.
“Because we still feel it’s unsafe,” Mr Jacklin replied.
Mr Jacklin stressed that the current signs comply with road safety regulations and said the road was not regularly inspected after it was temporarily closed because the council did not have the “manpower”.
He said the highway emergency team consisted of four employees.
Image source, Martin Giles/BBC
Image caption, Concrete barriers have been placed at the ford until a permanent solution is found
The investigation found the council was aware of traffic signs and barriers being removed by other motorists before Mr Howard’s death.
The council said a long-term safety solution was being worked on, including automatic signs that light up when the water level exceeds a high value.
The road will remain closed until at least October and all fords in Norfolk will be reviewed, the council said.
Mr Howard’s wife Patricia said her husband had been at the Norwich City v Sheffield Wednesday match on Wednesday evening.
He left a car park in Trowse at around 22:00 (BST) and told a friend he was taking an alternative route home to avoid the football crowds.
At 10:15 p.m., his red Toyota Yaris signaled that his car had been involved in a high-speed incident.
When Mr. Howard entered the water, he called out to his wife and grandson, but only “rustling” could be heard.
The next morning his car was found almost completely submerged in water.
‘Would make friends with everyone he met’
Mr Howard, from Costessey, was a retired director of the company and a keen golfer.
A family statement said he was “a loving father, grandfather and friend to many… exceptionally sociable and made friends with everyone he met”.
The cause of death was given as drowning.
The coroner concluded the death as follows: “The lack of warning signs and road closures were the cause of death.”
Ms Goward said she would write a report on preventing future deaths, which would be sent to the council, which would have 56 days to respond.
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