Shared-use path cyclist injured by hit-and-run driver who smashed into bus stop

It seems even taking the precaution of riding on a far from perfect shared-use path instead of the A50 did not protect one Staffordshire cyclist from suffering collision-induced injuries on their morning ride, the county's police force has revealed.

And while readers might object to Staffordshire Police describing the route — a familiarly uninspiring shared-use route running parallel to a thundering A-road — as a "cycle lane", the incident of Saturday morning does highlight, an admittedly extreme case of, the seemingly endless list of dangers on Britain's roads.

The man in his 20s was using the route alongside the A50 westbound near the Meir and Longton Royal British Legion between 6.20am and 6.50am on Saturday (28 January) when a driver of a car, believed to be a Skoda with tinted windows, smashed into the bus stop, Staffordshire Live reports.

The impact knocked a metal frame over which hit the cyclist, knocking him to the ground and injuring him. Despite the impact the driver failed to stop and offer help to the rider and continued, while the cyclist was taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital as a precaution, but was not seriously injured.

"We are appealing for information after a cyclist was knocked to the ground during a non-stop collision in Stoke-on-Trent. The cyclist was riding in the cycle lane when a car drove into the bus stop and collided with a large metal frame," a Staffordshire Police spokeperson said.

"The car didn't stop at the scene and continued to drive away – leaving the man injured on the ground. At this stage, there isn't much information available in relation to the suspect car, although we believe it may have been a Skoda with tinted windows.

"Any witnesses or those with footage of the area at the time are asked to get in touch."

Anyone with information can contact Staffordshire Police by calling 101 and quoting incident 515 of January 28 or by contacting Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.