Barrow woman hit by post van

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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A WOMAN suffered a suspected broken leg after she was hit by a driver-less Royal Mail van that rolled backwards 130 metres down a hill in Barrow.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

UPDATE:

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A PEDESTRIAN suffered a suspected broken leg after she was struck by a runaway Royal Mail van in Barrow yesterday afternoon



JOURNEY Graphic illustrating the distance covered by the van


The driver-less van is believed to have rolled about 130 metres backwards down Oxford Street before ploughing into the 45-year-old local woman.

Police officers and ambulance crews were called to the scene at 2.05pm and the woman was rushed to Furness General Hospital for treatment.

Witnesses spoken to by the Evening Mail said the freak chain of events began when the van pulled up outside the Oxford Street Post Office.

Once the driver exited the vehicle it started to roll down the street, gaining pace as it passed through the junctions with Essex, Cheltenham and Bedford streets.

At some point the van appears to have jumped the kerb and collided with the female pedestrian, causing her serious injuries.

The vehicle also destroyed a large brick fence pillar before finally coming to rest after hitting a black Vauxhall Astra parked at the side of the road.

The crashing sound of the van hitting the pillar sent the house’s three occupants rushing outside to see what happened.

Initially they saw only the damage to the fence before realising a person was on the ground and in need of immediate medical assistance.

The occupants tried to keep the woman calm and comfortable while they alerted emergency services.

The road remained open to traffic as paramedics arrived on the scene and tended to the woman.

She was taken to hospital at about 2.50pm and police officers carried out a number of interviews with residents and witnesses.

Royal Mail spokesperson, Mike Norman, said: “Royal Mail can confirm that one of our vehicles was involved in an accident this afternoon in Oxford Street, Barrow. We are investigating this incident as a matter of urgency.”

A spokeswoman for Cumbria police said: “An investigation into the cause of the collision is under way by the Roads Policing Unit.

“Anyone who witnessed the collision is urged to contact PC Mark Jordan on 101.”

[stokes11eg]

Oh dear. Sypmpathy to both woman and driver-----think we know what the outcome will be fro the poor soul.

[UnhappyGremlin]

Oh dear. Sypmpathy to both woman and driver-----think we know what the outcome will be fro the poor soul.

I know someone who did something similar. On that occasion to which I am referring, the van rolled back and into an oncoming van. There were no injuries, but the driver was disciplined for it. I do not know the outcome. The driver said they had put on the handbrake, but it must have failed.

In this case in Barrow, especially as someone was hit and injured, it will probably result in a lawsuit for RM (compensation claim), as seems to be the norm these days, and possibly even one for the driver. At the end of the day, there was no malice, it was an accident, so whilst some form of disciplinary action will probably be taken against the driver, dismissal should not even be remotely considered. We are not faultless, we make mistakes, it is part of the human condition.

[NWpostie]

Probably corrective training and a warning.


I find its usually good form to leave a van in gear, handbrake on, if the the hill is steep enough turn the wheel round, I remembered an incident many years ago before H&S was tightened upm we had a van that had a poor handbrake, I always left it in gear, it was logged and reported, nothign was done about it, until one day another driver didn't pull the handbrake up hard enough and it rolled back and struck a customer's car in the yard, it was fixed PDQ !

[TeeferTiger]

There was an issue some years back with the handbrakes on the combis (I think) and how applying the handbrake with the button depressed meant it didn't set properly... something like that.

Either way, no doubt the driver will be told they should've left it in gear, wheels towards the kerb etc and they'll be properly b*ll*cked for it. Hope the woman makes a swift recovery.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

ASKAM RUGBY STAR FINED OVER VAN THAT RAN INTO PEDESTRIAN IN BARROW

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A FORMER Royal Mail employee and Great Britain Ladies rugby league international has been fined after her negligence led to a pedestrian being injured by a runaway van.

Sally-Ann Milburn failed to apply the handbrake to the mail van when she stopped it outside the Oxford Street Post Office in Barrow on March 19 and got out.

The driver-less Vauxhall Combo rolled backwards down the road for more than 100 metres before ploughing into a 45-year-old local woman and coming to a stop.

The victim, who was walking along Oxford Street prior to the incident, suffered serious leg injuries and spent weeks in hospital receiving treatment.

Ms Milburn, 38, of Marsh Street, Askam, did not appear in Furness Magistrates’ Court yesterday, where she was fined £80 and ordered to pay £50 costs and a £20 victim surcharge after she was found guilty in her absence of quitting a motor vehicle.

The court heard that Ms Milburn’s employment with Royal Mail, where she had worked for more than 20 years, had been terminated and she was on benefits.

Royal Mail spokeswoman Val Bodden said in a statement: “We can confirm that postwoman Sally-Ann Milburn was dismissed following an internal investigation into this incident.”

Witnesses told the Evening Mail in March that the van started rolling down Oxford Street about 2.05pm and passed through junctions at Essex, Cheltenham and Bedford streets.

The vehicle eventually jumped the kerb, smashed through a brick wall, hit the woman and came to a halt after hitting a black Vauxhall Astra parked on the side of the road. The sound of the van crashing into their wall caused the property’s residents to go outside and investigate.

Initially they saw only the damage to the fence before realising a person was on the ground and seriously injured.

Ms Milburn has been a star local rugby league player for a number of years and has represented Great Britain on numerous occasions.

[stokes11eg]

ASKAM RUGBY STAR FINED OVER VAN THAT RAN INTO PEDESTRIAN IN BARROW

http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/askam-rug ... rce=feedly" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A FORMER Royal Mail employee and Great Britain Ladies rugby league international has been fined after her negligence led to a pedestrian being injured by a runaway van.

Sally-Ann Milburn failed to apply the handbrake to the mail van when she stopped it outside the Oxford Street Post Office in Barrow on March 19 and got out.

The driver-less Vauxhall Combo rolled backwards down the road for more than 100 metres before ploughing into a 45-year-old local woman and coming to a stop.

The victim, who was walking along Oxford Street prior to the incident, suffered serious leg injuries and spent weeks in hospital receiving treatment.

Ms Milburn, 38, of Marsh Street, Askam, did not appear in Furness Magistrates’ Court yesterday, where she was fined £80 and ordered to pay £50 costs and a £20 victim surcharge after she was found guilty in her absence of quitting a motor vehicle.

The court heard that Ms Milburn’s employment with Royal Mail, where she had worked for more than 20 years, had been terminated and she was on benefits.

Royal Mail spokeswoman Val Bodden said in a statement: “We can confirm that postwoman Sally-Ann Milburn was dismissed following an internal investigation into this incident.”

Witnesses told the Evening Mail in March that the van started rolling down Oxford Street about 2.05pm and passed through junctions at Essex, Cheltenham and Bedford streets.

The vehicle eventually jumped the kerb, smashed through a brick wall, hit the woman and came to a halt after hitting a black Vauxhall Astra parked on the side of the road. The sound of the van crashing into their wall caused the property’s residents to go outside and investigate.

Initially they saw only the damage to the fence before realising a person was on the ground and seriously injured.

Ms Milburn has been a star local rugby league player for a number of years and has represented Great Britain on numerous occasions.

My sympathy to this Postlady.
It's a mistake we could all make!

[DGP1]

I don't trust Vauxhall handbrakes, always leave it in first gear and try to turn the wheels into the kerb.