The dad of former Ealing policewoman Claudia Manera “will never come to London” after his daughter’s death a year ago.

The 51-year-old died a year ago today (Friday October 19) one week after she collided with a lorry on her bike at the Lido Junction in Uxbridge Road – at the point in her life she was the “happiest she has ever been” .

With none of her family in London, Make Uxbridge Road Safe campaigner Ben Owen asked her father’s permission to hold a vigil marking the first anniversary in Dean Gardens on Friday evening.

“He’s in Italy and he doesn’t ever want to come to London after his daughter died here,” Hanwell resident Ben, 52, told GetWestLondon.

“She always went around on her bike, she was also a runner with Ealing, Southall and Middlesex running club and I know people used to wave at her when he cycled by in Uxbridge Road.

“She was well-known in the community.”

Claudia Manera died after a collision between her bike and a lorry in West Ealing

The west Ealing resident suffered serious injuries to her legs and pelvis at the busy junction of Uxbridge Road and The Broadway on Thursday October 12 last year.

Claudia was airlifted to an east London hospital but died of her injuries on October 19 2017.

A vigil is being held in Dean Gardens at 7.30pm today (October 19).

What has happened since her death?

A campaign to tackle safety issues for cyclists in Uxbridge Road gathered momentum after Claudia died, with hundreds taking to the streets to demand investment into safety improvements.

A petition was also submitted to Ealing council, which was signed by 990 people in November last year.

By December, the council had received an £8.6 million funding boost to “create a safer environment for pedestrians and cyclists” in the borough.

In its response to the petition, the council promised to review pedestrian accident black spots and to carry out a cycling audit of Uxbridge Road.

Ben, who says his 23-year-old daughter refuses to cycle anywhere in London, wants the vigil to honour Claudia’s memory and also remind the council of its commitment.

“The council has been committed, I must say that,” he said.

“But until we see the design and infrastructure of the road, which would make the road safe to cycle through from border to border, our work is not done.”

What police have said

In a heartfelt tribute last year , Superintendent Robert Mahoney said that the Italian national always went above and beyond to help others.

Claudia worked as a personal trainer at the time of her death, having left the force in 2016, but she was set to return as special constable in the week after she died.

Her running group prayed for Claudia Manera at a group meeting on October 14 last year

He said: “Claudia was a popular, hardworking and exceptionally intelligent officer who always did her utmost to help people.

“Although she recently left the Metropolitan Police Service to pursue her passion for sport and teaching, she was still part of our police family.

“We were looking forward to working with her again when she returned this week as a special constable.”