Emergency services at the scene
(Picture: @CrimeLDN)A coroner has issued a warning to TfL over a pedestrian crossing in Shoreditch where a 33-year-old woman was fatally hit by a bus.
Miriam Boulia was struck while making her way across the A1202 Great Eastern Street shortly before 9am on Friday, February 4.
Following her inquest last month, coroner Adam Smith has written to TfL, warning lights on the crossing often remain green for just six seconds for pedestrians, which he says is not long enough for people to cross safely.
In the last three years alone there have been 21 crashes at the crossing that involved people being injured, nine of which left pedestrians hurt.
Communications manager Miss Boulia, described by loved ones as “deeply caring, generous and kind”, is understood to have attended school in Bromley, before studying at the University of Greenwich.
On February 4, she crossed safely to a pedestrian island before waiting there to cross Great Eastern Street with a small group of people.
“Several other pedestrians crossed on a red man,” Mr Smith recounted in his report. “Ms Boulia then walked onto the crossing across Great Eastern Street, on a red man. She appeared to be holding her hood up whilst looking to her left.”
She was tragically struck by a bus to her right side, suffering “catastrophic, unsurvivable” injuries. Although the bus driver tried to swerve, the collision was described as “unavoidable”. She was declared dead at the scene.
A Met Police highway inspector later carried out two site visits, to observe the crossing and pedestrians.
“The current timings of the signals, both at the pedestrian crossing where Ms Boulia died, and the crossing over Great Eastern Street at the south east side of Curtain Road, do not allow enough time for pedestrians to cross the road safely,” said Mr Smith of the inspector’s findings.
At the crossing where Miss Boulia died, the “inter-green period” - when the road traffic’s signals are not at green - often lasts only 10 seconds; made up of six seconds when the pedestrian signal shows a green man and four seconds of clearance period.
“Ten seconds is insufficient time to allow pedestrians to cross the road safely before the road traffic’s signals change to green,” said Mr Smith.
He added that the highway inspector “observed that pedestrians routinely cross on the red man...probably due to the inadequate inter-green periods”.
In a Gofundme page launched after Miss Boulia died, loved ones wote: “It’s tough to put into words the sadness and shock we’re all feeling at the loss of Miriam. She is irreplaceable to her family and friends.
“She was a deeply caring, generous and kind person, who left an indelible mark on all those she met. She leaves behind countless happy memories.”
A former colleague described her as “a beautiful person”, adding: “I will miss her terribly”.
Penny Rees, TfL’s Head of Healthy Streets Investment and Delivery, said: “Our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of Miriam Boulia.
“Reducing danger on roads across the capital is a vital part of our Vision Zero commitment to eliminate death and serious injury. Making junctions safer is essential to this work, and there is a planned scheme to review the junction of Great Eastern Street and Curtain Road.
“In addition we have recently carried out a site visit at the junction to consider any urgent safety improvements required. We will be providing a response to the coroner’s prevention of future deaths report in due course.”
Mr Smith has urged TfL to make the improvements to the signal timings a priority.
“In my opinion, action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe that you have the power to take such action,” he added.
