Cycling accident 'blackspot' that left man in coma fixed

12 hours ago

Mike GilmoreBristol

Emanuele Ziglioli was in a coma for 10 days after his crash on the railway path

BBC Man in hospital gown lying on bed with wires coming out him — Emanuele Ziglioli was in a coma for 10 days after his crash on the railway path

An uneven section of a cycle path named an "accident blackspot" - after one man suffered a brain haemorrhage in a crash and others reported sustaining injuries including a broken jaw - has been resurfaced.

The repairs come less than a week after the BBC reported on accidents on the Bristol and Bath Railway Path at Siston Common near Warmley.

In August, Emanuele Ziglioli, 50, was left in a coma for 10 days from his brain injury, and a woman reported breaking her jaw after hitting raised tarmac caused by tree roots growing under the cycle path.

South Gloucestershire Council, which is responsible for maintaining the path, had previously stated it would be repaired as soon as possible.

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The victims took to Facebook to describe their injuries, and Ziglioli spoke to the BBC last week.

The council installed warning signs next to the path and has since removed the tree roots and repaired the tarmac.

The path was resurfaced after several accidents on the stretch near Warmley

A three meter resurfaced stretch of tarmac has green barriers either side of it. — The path was resurfaced after several accidents on the stretch near Warmley

Ziglioli, who was not wearing a helmet at the time of his accident, welcomed the repairs and described it as a "success".

He said it was "good news that the council has finally done something to fix the path", and that he now had a helmet "to make everyone happy".

Several tree roots had grown under the path, forcing up the tarmac

A path has several cracks crossing it, the cracks are tree roots growing under it — Several tree roots had grown under the path, forcing up the tarmac

The path had been the subject of regular complaints, with the issue highlighted on Fix My Street in 2025.

Katie Moss, from Bristol Cycling Campaign, wants "councils to fix issues as they're reported, so that it doesn't take serious accidents for repairs to happen".

The council was contacted by the BBC, but a spokesperson said it did not wish to issue an updated statement since the repairs. It previously wished Ziglioli a speedy recovery.

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