Actor killed by bus in Rickmansworth 'crossed without looking' Published duration 13 November 2019

image copyright South Beds News Agency image caption Jane Hayward was dragged under the wheel of a bus in Rickmansworth

An actor was killed when she was hit by a double-decker bus after apparently walking into the road without looking, a coroner has said.

Jane Hayward, 69, from Northwood, north-west London, was dragged under the wheel of the vehicle in Rickmansworth town centre on 15 June.

CCTV showed she was looking in the opposite direction to the bus as she crossed the road.

An inquest heard she died at the scene from "multiple traumatic injuries".

Hertfordshire coroner Geoffrey Sullivan concluded her death was due to a road traffic collision.

'Tight turn'

Ms Haywood is known for the films My Month with Mrs Potter, The Generator and a number of TV dramas and comedies in the 1980s.

The hearing was told she was walking along the High Street at about 14:30 BST towards the junction with Station Road, a traffic light-controlled junction and part of a one way system which means vehicles must turn left.

image copyright South Beds News Agency image caption Ms Haywood died at the junction of Station Road and High Street in Rickmansworth

A police investigation found that as the Arriva bus approached the junction the lights turned green and the driver began the manoeuvre, described as a "tight turn", while moving at 5mph, the coroner was told.

Bus driver Gavyn Young had almost completed the turn when he heard a noise and his passengers shouted for him to stop.

CCTV camera footage established that Ms Haywood had walked out into the road at the junction, despite the traffic lights being green.

It could also be seen that she was looking to her left into Station Road and the bus was coming from her right.

The inquest was told police had concluded that the bus had been driven correctly as it negotiated the turn.

"[Ms Haywood] walked out into the road and was sadly struck by the bus. It seems she stepped out without looking and was struck," the coroner said.

Hertfordshire Police has confirmed no further police action will be taken.

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