Lindsey Inger Hucknall tram death: Family call for crossing closure
THE family of a teenager killed by a tram say they want to see the crossing where it happened closed for an urgent safety review.
Lindsey Inger, 13, died after the accident at a pedestrian level crossing near Bestwood Village last Wednesday.
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Marlene Starling, Lindsey's mother, and her 'aunt' - close family friend Donna Elliott
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(BACK L-R) Robert Starling, 37, brother, "brother" Damian Wheelhouse, 27, a close family friend, "uncle" Darren Inger, cousin, 29, (FRONT L-R) Marlene Starling, 67, mother, and "auntie" Donna Elliott, a close family friend, 35.
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Lindsey Inger
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Lindsey aged 6
The tragedy happened four years after the death of a woman and her grandson on the same crossing.
Now, Lindsey's family are calling for the crossing to be closed until a review of safety has been carried out.
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Her foster mum, Marlene Starling, told the Post: "They need to shut it down until we know whether or not we can have a bridge for the crossing, so it doesn't happen to anyone else.
"Some other little girl or boy could be killed there.
"Everyone in our family would now like to see that crossing closed."
Jean Hoggart, 65, and grandson Michael Dawson, 7, were killed on the rail-line side of the crossing in November 2008. Jean's widower, Laurence, and local politicians are also calling for the safety of the crossing to be reviewed.
Mrs Starling, who had fostered Lindsey since she was a baby and who the teenager called mum, said the family had been overwhelmed by support from the community.
She also said they wanted to speak out against a report in a national newspaper that Lindsey had been playing chicken when she was hit.
The family say she was walking with three other girls to a friend's house when the accident happened and did not see the tram coming.
Tasha Selway, 20, who was also raised by Mrs Starling and who Lindsey considered her sister, said: "The crossing needs to be closed. More should have been done years ago."
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Comments
by Oldpiggies
Wednesday, December 05 2012, 8:42PM
“from John Stewart, Hilton, Derby.
Following the 2008 double fatality an exhaustive investigation was conducted by the RAIB. I have read it and what was clear was that there were considerable risks from crossing the railway (not the tramway) as it was set out at that time. Subsequently the railway side of the crossing was altered to reduce risks associated with its layout. A very brief summary of the findings is that the lady concerned was probably distracted by the passage of a brightly-lit tram causing noise and visual distraction and that she didn't appreciate that a train was approaching on the track nearer to her just a few seconds behind.
All of which makes it puzzling that this time it should be a tram that was not seen. It is difficult to see anything other than the girl's inattention as the direct cause. The report referred to above includes a survey of daily usage and it would hardly be reasonable to deprive all those people of the convenience of this route. Despite this, we have to recognise that every level crossing can be a danger through misuse, inattention or mechanical failure. A long-term programme of replacement by grade separation should be undertaken wherever possible.”
by wonderwoman
Wednesday, December 05 2012, 8:32PM
“yes it is a tragic accident the crossing is safe as long as you look before crossing if they close that crossing what are the people in bestwood village going to do”
by Nick2812
Wednesday, December 05 2012, 1:54PM
“The tram has a top speed of 50mph, or 73 feet per second. An average walking speed is 3mph, or 4 feet per second.
The tram is no more than 6 feet wide. The girl must have started crossing the line when the tram was just 40 or so yards away.
If the girl was such a poor judge of distance and speed she should have never left the safety of her home because she was an accident waiting to happen every time she ventured out.
This crossing is safe unless you are very, very foolish.”
by DunkirkPie
Wednesday, December 05 2012, 1:06PM
“Sir Les, it sounds like you're expecting people to take responsibility for their own actions. Where have you been for the last 20 years?!”
by Sirles007
Wednesday, December 05 2012, 9:24AM
“What ever happened to the basic lesson of LOOK LEFT AND LOOK RIGHT STOP LOOK AND LISTEN!!! I'm sorry but what other excuse can there be? Oh maybe listening to a mobile or on the phone? I mean you have to open a gate, its not as though you can just wander by chance onto the track! If you close the crossing you might as well close every pedestrian crossing on the road! madness.............”
by BLawrenson
Tuesday, December 04 2012, 10:47PM
“We will doubtless have to wait for the inquest to hear the truth. In the meantime a flashing light to signal the approach of a tram should reduce the risk somewhat.”
by mattgaltress
Tuesday, December 04 2012, 12:43PM
“I think this is an important issue; I heard on the radio last week that concerns about that crossing had been raised as far back as 1999.
Lets stop this rubbish we're getting in some of the newspapers about this, and lets get this issue solved before this happens again.”