On Monday 14th July at 7pm, we held a vigil at Centre Road/Woodford Road, where, on 16th June, Barry Shonibare, who lived locally in Forest Gate, was hit by a car driver—he died in hospital 5 days later. We were joined by many of Barry’s family and friends, some of whom had travelled to be with us. Our deputy co-ordinator, Karen, read the following remarks. We then held a minute’s silence and laid flowers at Centre Road car park, near the site of the crash.
We’re here tonight to mark what happened here four weeks ago. At around lunchtime on Monday 16th of June, Barry Shonibare was cycling here when he was involved in a collision with a car and was severely injured. Police were called at 12.22pm and the London Ambulance service attended the scene. Despite the best efforts of medical staff, Barry Shonibare sadly died in hospital on Saturday, 21 June.
Our deepest condolences go to Barry’s friends and family, who are here tonight.
Those of us who live here and travel through this stretch of Centre Road and Woodford Road on a regular basis know that it is dangerous. The relative safety of the wand-protected cycle lanes further up the road disappears. The road widens. As you can tell even now, speeding is endemic here.
We and our LCC colleagues in Redbridge have campaigned on this for some time. Surely now is the time to fund and build the measures that we know will prevent tragedies like this from happening again? We should not have to wait for someone else to be killed or injured before this danger is removed. As Barry’s family have stated, “no family or individuals should suffer this heartbreak again.”
We’ll now observe a minute’s silence to reflect, and to pay our respects to Barry Shonibare.
May he rest in peace. Thank you.
The statement from the Metropolitan Police follows:
Officers are continuing to investigate a fatal collision in Newham where a man sadly died.
Police were called at 12:22hrs on Monday, 16 June to reports of a collision between a car and a cyclist at the junction of Centre Road and Capel Road.
Emergency services attended the scene where a cyclist had been severely injured.
Despite the best efforts of medical staff, the 71-year-old man, who has been named as Barry Shonibare, sadly died in hospital on Saturday, 21 June.
His family, who continue to be supported by Family Liaison Officers, have paid a tribute:
“Barry was much loved, father, brother, uncle and friend. A genuine, kind and caring man.
“No words will adequately describe the grief of his family or the sudden and tragic loss of his life. He was fit, healthy and thoroughly enjoyed life.
“Our family, alongside the police, seek justice and resolution.
“We appeal to the Mayor of London, TFL and the borough of Newham, for the immediate deployment of speed and road traffic cameras on Centre Road.
“No family or individuals should suffer this heartbreak again.”
The driver – a 26-year-old man – who failed to stop at the scene but returned on foot, has been helping police with their enquiries.
No arrests have as yet been made.
Enquiries are ongoing.
Any witnesses or anyone with information, such as dash-cam or mobile phone footage, is asked to please call police on 101 quoting 3399/16JUN.
