The parents of Ada Zeynep Bicakci have said that their daughter’s life and dreams were stolen from her after she was killed by a bus driver who was high on drugs in Bexleyheath.
Ada died in hospital after she was hit by a bus which swerved onto the pavement in Watling Street on August 3 last year.
Almost a year after her death, The News Shopper spoke to Ada’s parents, Nevgül and Bora Bicakci, who said although their grief is “immense” they want to turn this into a “meaningful” change.
They said: “This senseless act, rooted in driver negligence and systemic failures, ignited our unyielding fight to ensure a safer future for all.
“Beyond honouring Ada’s name, we intend to pursue meaningful change from TfL and the government as well as our community to ensure a safer future for all.
“Our voice resonates with other victims as well as other bus drivers who want to avoid similar future pain.”
Bus driver, Martin Asolo-Agogua, smoked weed and texted a friend “I’ve got work at 8 so I ain’t sleeping”, before the incident.
Ada was cycling on the pavement on her way to her “much loved” gymnastics class, alongside her five-year-old brother, who was on a scooter, and her dad who was also on a bike.
Nevgül and Bora said the driver’s criminal case is now behind them and that the public believes the sentence was "unduly lenient".
In a statement previously read by Bora in court, he called for a systemic change to stop further road deaths.
Bora said: “We seek not just justice for our daughter but a safer future for everyone.”
He said knowing that similar incidents lie around the corner causes him as much pain as losing his daughter.
Asolo-Agogua was driving the double-decker bus “erratically” from the bus garage to the start of its route, Prosecutor Charlotte Hole added.
One driver in a car behind said the bus was unnecessarily swerving onto the opposite side of the road, whilst another driver said Asolo-Agogua's driving caused him to blurt out “what is he doing”.
Footage from inside the bus showed him yawning, his eyes closing, his head nodding, and the bus swerving onto the pavement.
He said: “The sound of the tyres hitting the curb. Looking back and seeing Ada’s body bouncing between the bus and the wall.
“Holding her in my lap. Her broken lungs struggling for every breath. Her eyes fading.
"Her brother behind me, shocked by fear.
"The bus drifting away. People stopping by to help. Sam stepping in. Hope and then sadness.”
Ada was rushed to hospital where she died two days later.
Nevgül described her daughter as a beautiful child with a kind heart – just weeks before she passed away she donated her hair to the Little Princess Trust saying “everyone should have hair”.
“I lost my angel. My Smile. Flutter of my heart. My closest friend. The most beautiful days of my life are the mother and daughter days I spent with Ada,” she said.
The court heard that Asolo-Agogua got his driving licence in January 2023 and became an Arriva bus driver a year later.
In his short spell as a bus driver numerous complaints were made about his driving – including occasions when he damaged the bus by hitting stationary vehicles or bus stops.
He was briefly suspended following an incident in May when he stopped too abruptly, causing a child passenger to fall on the floor.
However, he was given “the benefit of the doubt” and his suspension was lifted a short time later.
Following her death, Ada’s organs were donated to help six other children which was a “testament to her giving spirit”, the parents added.
They explained: “We were deeply honoured to receive an Order of St John's Award recognising Ada’s organ donation.
“Brake, Roadpeace and the Sarah Hope Line are also supporting us as we move forward.”
Reflecting on the past year, the family thank the individuals who have been “holding them together” during their “darkest hours”.
They said: “The police, LFB, London Air Ambulance and the NHS provided compassionate care.
“Our community, all the schools Ada has attended and our family circles have been an incredible scaffold of love as well as financial support for us.
"We thank all members of the press, with special thanks to our local News Shopper journalists and their team for their unwavering attention and support, helping us feel heard.
"We now invite all media and community organisations to amplify our call. Follow Ada's Heartbeat."
The family plan to hold an event at the scene of where Ada was killed, marking the year of the fatal incident.
“We want to meet everyone. We are preparing to share further facts about the larger picture and visuals from the incident itself to share on August 3, 2025.
“We’re still trying to obtain permission to meet at the place where the incident happened, however, this is not certain.
“But we will hold an event update everyone through our social media pages once we hear back.”
