Woman killed after leaning into busway, court told

A pedestrian was killed after leaning into the path of an oncoming bus on a guided track, an inquest heard.

Kathleen Pitts, 52, died after being struck between Long Road and Hills Road on The Busway in Cambridge on 26 October 2021.

Hers was one of three deaths between 2015 and 2021 that Cambridgeshire County Council was fined £6m for due to health and safety failings.

In a narrative conclusion, the area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Elizabeth Gray, said the reasons Pitts leant into the busway "unfortunately remain unknown".

A spokesperson for the county council said it extended "our sincerest condolences" to her family and friends.

While no family attended the inquest in Huntingdon, in a statement read to the crown court when the council was fined, her son Liam Pitts said: "I believe my mother would still be here if it wasn't for the inherent risk built into the guided busway in Cambridge."

The guided busway takes a modified bus along a dedicated track - with a pedestrian and cycle path adjacent - that serves Cambridge, St Ives and Huntingdon.

The council was criticised at the criminal case for its dismissive and defensive handling of concerns that included poor signage, unsafe crossings and poor lighting.

Musgrave told the inquest he believed he had about 20 passengers on board and saw a pedestrian on the pathway to the nearside of his vehicle.

Bus driver Richard Musgrave has told the inquest into Pitts' death that he saw a pedestrian "bent at the waist into the track" when he was about 10m (32ft) away from her, looking as if they were going to pick something up from the track.

He said he put the brakes on but was unable to avoid the collision, as the bus cannot be steered away on the guided track.

A bus driver who had earlier passed Pitts said he saw a pedestrian near the edge of the path appearing in a "daze".

Another pedestrian on the pathway, Jessie Zhu, said she saw a person who "leant their head and upper body to the left into the path of the bus".

She said she was unable to tell if it was accidental or deliberate, but it was a sudden movement.

The inquest heard Pitts had a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and nine psychiatric admissions, with her most recent being in 2013.

The coroner read statements from staff at the mental health services provider the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT), which reported multiple interactions since August 2021.

They said Pitts had called them "stating she was in a mental health crisis" and in later calls that year had reported suicidal thoughts.

On 18 October 2021, the trust said she was seen by staff at her home, where she denied suicidal ideation. A plan was made for going forward.

A review by CPFT found that overall she was "provided with good care".

The coroner said there was "no evidence" to support a deliberate act, adding "mental health evidence does not support suicidal ideation at that time", and there was "no evidence" she tripped or fell.

A county council spokesperson said it continued to install fencing and safety barriers across the entire busway.

There was also reduced speed limits, a motorcyclist ban and a 15mph speed limit along the path running adjacent.

"The council has been clear following the sentence received [in April 2025], that lessons have been learned, the busway safety regime has improved, and further safety improvements are being delivered," they added.

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