A POORLY-LIT Newport street played a partial role in the death of a widower hit by a car in August last year, an inquest has heard.

Assistant Gwent Coroner Wendy James said she will be writing to Newport City Council about the issue following the inquest into the death of David Melvyn Evans.

Mr Evans, of Bryn Bevan, was hit by a Renault Megane on the street where he lived on August 10 last year, while walking home at night.

The 75-year-old was taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital but passed away a month later, having fallen ill with a chest infection.

The inquest heard how Mr Evans, a retired train driver, lived alone following the death of his wife, Patricia, several years earlier.

He would often visit the Lyceum Tavern on Malpas Road and was on his way home the night of the accident.

In a statement read out at the inquest landlord Anthony Cole, said that on the day in question, Mr Evans had visited the pub as he did for the company and for three pints of low alcohol real ale.

“On August 10, he arrived a little later than usual at 8pm.”

Statements from residents said Mr Evans was often seen walking in the road as the pavement was narrow and overgrown.

At the time of the incident, streetlights on Bryn Bevan were also said to not be working close to a right-hand bend in the road. It was near there that a car coming up the hill hit Mr Evans.

Assistant coroner Wendy James ruled the cause of death the result of pneumonia, and multiple injuries secondary to a road traffic accident. She added that the police investigation of the accident site, found there was insufficient distance for the car, travelling at 30mph, to have stopped and avoided Mr Evans due to the lack of light.

In her verdict, the assistant coroner mentioned comments from Mr Evans’ daughter, Helen Wilkins, who attended with her brother, and mentioned poor lighting and overgrown brambles near the path as contributing factors to the accident.

Ms James added: “I will be writing to the chief executive of the local authority about the issue of the path and streetlight. The footpath on that part of the road is very overgrown.”