Motorcyclist sues Hillingdon Council after a 2019 crash. He claims a faulty manhole cover caused him to lose his arm.
George Morriss, 25, says his bike slid because a manhole cover was in poor condition. He claims this condition caused the accident and has since rendered him unable to work. He is suing the London Borough of Hillingdon.
Morriss contends that the manhole cover was worn and covered in grit and dust. He claims his wheel slid, throwing him into a fence.
The council disagrees with Morriss’s account and maintains that they inspected the manhole cover both before and after the crash. According to the council, these inspections revealed no problems.
Colm Nugent, representing Morriss, argued that the manhole cover caused the crash. Nugent claims resurfacing should have added friction, but the council failed to add a high-friction surface.
Morriss testified at the trial in London that he used the road daily for about eight months before the crash. He stated that he had not experienced any problems previously, the weather was dry, and he was driving at the speed limit of 30mph.
When asked why the incident occurred after eight months, Morriss suggested there might have been grit present that wasn’t there before, possibly contributed to by the recent road resurfacing.
Morriss stated that the change in grip was drastic and the manhole cover appeared worn.
Lee Evans, representing the council, argues that Morriss’s “negligence” caused the crash. The council believes Morriss lost control, oversteered, rode too fast, and failed to keep a proper lookout, Evans said.
Evans cited a police report that found “driver/rider error” caused the incident. Further, he explained that inspections by the council and Thames Water, who also owns the manhole cover, found no defects.
Evans stated the road has much traffic, with many vehicles and motorcycles traveling there annually, and there had been no other similar accidents.
The trial is before Judge Ben Douglas-Jones KC and is expected to end this week.