'We won't stop fighting until we make the roads safer'

The family of a teenager who was killed when his bicycle collided with a bin lorry said he "did everything right, and yet that wasn't enough".

Jack Bruce, from Wilmington, was only 19 when he died on 15 September, 2021, after his bike collided with the side of a refuse lorry which had unexpectedly turned into a side street in Swanley.

While an inquest ruled the death an accident, and a police investigation found no wrongdoing, Jack's mother Yvonne Bruce says she is determined to "stop this happening again to another family".

A spokesman for Sevenoaks District Council (SDC) said: "We continue to prioritise public safety in the delivery of our services and implementing industry best standards."

Jack, who was on his way to pick up a laptop ahead of enrolling at Swansea University when he was killed, was described as a "really good, kind, gentle soul" by mum Yvonne.

"Jack was quite unique actually. Ever since he was born, he was just a complete joy," she said.

According to law firm Slater and Gordon, who represented the Bruce family in a civil claim against SDC, investigations found that the lorry had one of its mirrors poorly adjusted.

This meant that the side with which Jack collided was covered by just one smaller wing mirror.

Yvonne said she felt the "driving standards were below what I would have expected".

"He [Jack] was in full lycra gear, he was on a road bike, he had clip in shoes, he had a crash helmet on. He did everything right, and yet that wasn't enough."

She says she feels that local authorities "need to be following strict guidelines around training for drivers in charge of such huge and heavy vehicles" and is campaigning to make that case.

"He [Jack] doesn't have a voice anymore, because of what's happened to him. I can't rest until I feel that I've done everything that I can to support other families, to stop this happening again to another family," Yvonne added.

Will Cornwell, who secured a settlement for the Bruce's with no liability admitted by SDC, shares the family's view that "poor driving" was at the heart of this collision.

He suggested measures around mirror use, proximity sensors, or "technological solutions" to mitigate the potential dangers of left-hand turns as possible changes that could be made.

Cornwell said: "The family feel - and I agree - that it was a preventable death, so had things been done differently the death wouldn't have come about."

The spokesperson for SDC said: "While the police investigation found that the council had not been at fault, and the coroner concluded this was an accident and made no recommendations, we continue to prioritise public safety in the delivery of our services and implementing industry best standards.

"The council installs high-definition safety cameras on every vehicle, which have been recognised as a positive feature in helping keep the public safe, and we continue to train our drivers in the current best practice when it comes to road safety."

The council's thoughts "remain with the family of Mr Bruce", they added.

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