Great George Street: Leeds city centre businesses tell of shock after death crash days before Christmas

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Businesses have spoken of their shock after a man died following a crash involving a motorcycle in Leeds city centre, just days before Christmas.

The crash happened at around 3pm yesterday (Monday), when a motorcycle was in collision with a pedestrian on Great George Street, near the junction with Cookridge Street.

A staff member at a nearby business told the YEP: “It just really sets you back when something like that happens - especially when it’s around this time of year when people are supposed to be joyous and coming together with their families.”

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The pedestrian, a 65-year-old man, suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital, where he died a short time later.

The rider, a 26-year-old man, was also taken to hospital with facial injuries before being arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, West Yorkshire Police said in a statement.

The scene of the fatal road accident on Great George Street close to the junction of Cookridge Street, Leeds.The scene of the fatal road accident on Great George Street close to the junction of Cookridge Street, Leeds.
The scene of the fatal road accident on Great George Street close to the junction of Cookridge Street, Leeds. | James Hardisty

Road closures were put in place while further enquiries were carried out. They were removed at just after 9pm, police said.

The manager of a nearby business said that there was a “tense” atmosphere following the crash. They added: “The police cordoned off the whole street and from all of the vans and forensic team we gathered that there had been a serious accident.

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“It sets you back and makes you think. It’s just terrible that something that awful has happened literally a week before Christmas. It’s really sad.”

Alistair Dixon, who owns the Renegade Hair Studio, said that he saw CPR being administered after the incident and staff and customers had been worried about what had happened.

West Yorkshire Police’s Major Collision Enquiry Team is investigating the collision and is appealing to anyone who witnessed it, or who saw the blue Voge 125cc motorcycle being ridden prior to it.

Anyone who could assist is asked to contact the team on 101, or by using the livechat facility on the West Yorkshire Police website, quoting reference 13240683404.

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