Firm at centre of Catriona Patel case says it's "very sorry" after second fatal accident this year

We have contacted Thames Materials to put some of the above points - and a few more - to them. They insisted that their vehicles' number plates and fleet numbers are visible at all times but would not answer specific questions unless sent by email, which we have done.

They asked if the cyclist who posted above had contacted them to report the incident. We suggest he does so. We have provided Thames Materials with a link to this item so they can also respond directly to our posters.

We will update you as to their responses to your and our questions, as soon as we have them.

Toby - if you had the reg number of the truck you could pass it to police and the firm was operating a defective vehicle and that it was being driven without due care and attention.
Like I said in a previous thread abut Patel's death, this firm seems to have a poor safety record. All road users are at risk and not just cyclists. Given that the death of the Japanese businessman is the second fatality the firm has been closely connected with I expect the company is now going to be hit very hard indeed. It's a shame two people have had to pay the ultimate price for this to take effect.

It really is unbelievable that, in general, drivers who have been repeatedly convicted of serious offences are still allowed to drive. Do they ever get life bans? Why is driving considered as if it is some kind of human right?

The company might be "very sorry" but actions speak louder than words.

This evening, along with another cycle commuter, I was "buzzed" by one of Thames Materials' Tipper lorries on Boston Manor Road in West London. The driver presumably thought it was ok to only give cyclists a few inches of passing space despite there being ample room to pull out safely whilst overtaking us.

I then watched as the same lorry was driven straight across a mini roundabout that another cyclist was already crossing. The tipper lorry didn't have any working lights on its rear number plate and the plate itself was smeared with muck as was the tipper lorry fleet number - rendering both illegible.

As it passed me I noticed that the lorry didn't have the top mirror on the offside cab mirror cluster to give visibility of the blind spot and also didn't have any "how's my driving" type signage on the rear.

If the owners of Thames Materials are genuinely interested in road safety they could make a good start by:

1. Educating their drivers.
2. Fitting blind spot mirrors and joining a "How's my driving" reporting scheme.
3. Taking steps to check that their fleet of vehicles comply with the law by having working lights and clean number plates and punishing drivers who fail to report defects on company vehicles.

how long would a scaffolding last if their scaffolding kept falling into the street killing people.
would we accept 1 or 2 deaths a year...I bloody doubt it.

Wonder if any of their lorries feature the "How is my driving, ring blah blah blah"? If so had anyone ever complained about any of their drivers abilities and if so did the company do anything beyond political window dressing.

revoke their license to operate - that might make some businesses take notice.

I'm sure they are very sorry.

Not much help to the families of Ms Patel and this unfortunate Japanese gentleman though.

Isn't it about time complanies like this are held to account for the behaviour of their drivers, through Health and Safety legislation?