Tragedy crossing removed after community petition
"No one else will be injured or killed on that crossing."
Adam Fenech
The pedestrian crossing where a seven-year-old Taranaki girl died in a collision with a truck has been removed.
Inglewood schoolgirl Emma Warren was killed in September as she cycled home from school on the crossing at the intersection of Miro and Rata streets.
Investigations found the truck driver was not at fault.
A petition signed by almost 4,000 people was sent to the New Plymouth District Council calling for the crossing to be taken out because of safety fears.
Adam Fenech, who led the Facebook campaign, said he was ‘‘absolutely rapt’’ that the NPDC had carried out the work and the crossing was gone.
‘‘So very sad that Emma lost her life for it to happen and that her family are having to go through such a horrible ordeal.’’
The work to remove the crossing, which was installed in the 1980s, began at 7pm on Wednesday.
It followed an independent review and discussions with police, Emma’s family, Inglewood Primary School, the Inglewood Community Board and the NZ Transport Agency.
NPDC Chief Operating Officer Kelvin Wright has said other options for crossing Miro St will be looked at.
A sign reminding pedestrians to give way to vehicles has been erected the sides of the road where the crossing was.