Cyclist Seriously Hurt in Stoughton – Police Appeal for Witnesses

Published on: 3 May, 2012
Updated on: 4 May, 2012

Police officers are appealing for information from members of the public following a road traffic collision in the Stoughton area of Guildford this morning (Thursday, 3 May) in which a cyclist suffered serious head injuries.

The incident happened when the local teenager, who was cycling downhill on a black mountain bike towards Larch Avenue, was in collision with a white van, just after 7am.

The road was closed between the railway bridge and the roundabout at Larch Avenue for more than three hours before being re-opened at 11am.

The 18-year-old male cyclist suffered serious head and facial injuries. He was taken by air ambulance to Kings College Hospital in London. The driver and passenger of the van were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

A Guildford Dragon reporter spoke to a local resident who lives close to the scene of the incident. He related how he was awoken by the sound of car doors banging causing him to look out of his window.

He said: “I saw lots of flashing lights of police cars and an ambulance. The helicopter came and landed nearby in the cemetery and I saw the young man being put on to a stretcher.

“Vehicles that come down Stoughton Road are often speeding. I tell people I live near the ‘golf course’ because of all the pot holes.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Surrey Police Collision Investigation Unit on 01483 639922 quoting reference P12124441.

Responses to Cyclist Seriously Hurt in Stoughton – Police Appeal for Witnesses

Angela Gunning

May 9, 2012 at 2:18 pm

Larch Avenue is in Stoke not Stoughton! really sorry to learn about the accident. Hope the young cyclist is recovering. Yes vehicles do speed down that stretch of the Stoughton Road, and the ’roundabout’ at Larch Avenue is awkwardly aligned.
David Rose

May 9, 2012 at 6:04 pm

Yes you are technically right, but when Surrey Police made the appeal for witnesses to the accident it described it as Stoughton. I think that is because more readers (or local radio listeners) would identify with that as an area.
How many people do you know say they live in Stoke (Guildford)? Not many I’d say. They are more likely to say they live in Bellfields, Slyfield, and so on.
Place names in this part of Guildford are very confusing. The term North Guildford has crept into use in recent times. Is there an official place called North Guildford (as in North Shields, Tyne & Wear)? Er, no – I believe it is something that has been created to talk about an area of the town. Yes, you can have an area that is generally known as north Guildford – note the lower case ‘n’.
So, do you know anyone who actually says they live in a place called North Guildford? Or what about South Guildford? Sounds like a desirable neighbourhood to me!
A final one that has me confused is why when it comes to the borough council’s list of planning applications there are addresses of properties in what most people who live there would describe as being in Stoughton, Rydes Hill, Woodbridge Hill, and so on, but are listed as Westborough.
And here’s where the snobbery thing creeps in. People always have, and I guess always will, subtly change the name of place in which they live if it makes it sound better. I know of people who live off the Worplesdon Road in Stoughton who still try to claim they live in the village of Worplesdon, because their phone numbers are based on the long gone local Worplesdon code.