Flowers at the scene in Charlotte Street

RESIDENTS say construction traffic must be better policed after a cyclist died in a collision with a lorry.

The man, who was in his 20s, died after colliding with a lorry in Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, just after 7.30am last Wednesday. Investigators are piecing together the sequence of events which led to the tragedy.

It is understood the lorry had come from a nearby building site.

Construction firm Keltbray, which is working with developer Derwent London to rebuild the Network Building in Howland Street, has confirmed it belonged to one of its subcontractors.

Under the works plans for this site, construction traffic is not supposed to head to the site until 9.30am each day to avoid the rush hour and does not include Charlotte Street in the route plan.

The full circumstances of how the lorry came to be in the road are yet to be established and Derwent is helping with the investigation. Guy O’Connell, who lives in Scala Street, told the New Journal he feels his neighbourhood has been “captured” by big developers, adding that residents have repeatedly raised concerns with the council.

“What generally happens is they just don’t reply. There is an environment which I would say feels permissive to [the developer’s] interests against ours,” Mr O’Connell said.

“The watchdog doesn’t bark, it’s got no teeth, it isn’t fed, and it’s never allowed out of the kennel.”

The minutes of a council meeting about planning enforcement at the Town Hall in October last year show planning officers confirming that “the council could not proactively check everything that it approved due to the lack of resources”.

Linus Rees, who lives in Fitzrovia and edits Fitzrovia News, said: “Camden needs to pull its finger out and proactively enforce construction management plans to make sure developers and their contractors and subcontractors are sticking to the agreements that Camden have made with them rather than just have faith in these property developers to do the right thing.”

He added: “There are reasons that Camden has set down these safety requirements, but they’re not worth the paper they’re written on if they’re not enforced.”

The site is one of four major developments currently under way in the neighbourhood.

A spokesperson for Camden Council said: “Our thoughts and condolences are with everyone who knew the cyclist who has sadly died. We are working closely with the police who are investigating the incident to understand its circumstances.

“We are also reviewing compliance with the approved construction management plan. While these reviews take place, the council has instructed the Howland Street site to stop all works.”

A Keltbray spokesperson declined to comment, while a spokesperson for Derwent London said: “We were deeply saddened to learn of the fatal road traffic accident in Fitzrovia last Wednesday. Our condolences and sympathies go to the individual’s family and friends. A full investigation is under way and we are liaising with all parties, including Camden Council.”

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK. CLICK BANNER.