Woman dies after crashing through Leeds safety barriers as council ordered ‘take action’

A woman died after crashing into safety barriers on a busy Leeds road.

Dorothy Wagstaff, 86, was driving on the A660 Leeds Road, near Otley, towards Bramhope, at 10.16am on Saturday, January 11. She’s suspected to have suffered a medical episode before losing control of the vehicle and crashing into a concrete post, then through temporary plastic barriers before smashing into railings and a lamppost.

Paramedics attended the scene but despite every effort she was pronounced dead at 10.57am.

Following an inquest into her death a coroner has ordered Leeds City Council to replace the safety barriers in order to prevent future deaths by similar means. In the Prevention of Future Deaths report published on Wednesday, July 23 Coroner John Hobson wrote: “The trajectory of Mrs Wagstaff’s car after the initial collision with the concrete post involved passing through temporary plastic barriers which, on the evidence heard, offered no resistance such that the car then proceeded to leave the road and collide with a lamp post before coming to rest back on the road.

“In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you or your organisation have the power to take such action.”

Leeds City Council Highways Department indicated that work would be scheduled to replace the old concrete and metal pole barriers with metal pedestrian railings in this area of the A660. The council has until Sunday, October 12 to respond with a plan of action.

The local authority has been approached for comment.

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