WIDOW WANTS THE BRIDGE MADE SAFER
GRIEVING WIFE JOINS CALLS FOR ACTION AFTER HUSBAND TRAGICALLY TOOK HIS LIFE AT THE HUMBER -
THE grieving wife of a Grimsby man who took his own life is backing calls for action to help prevent further deaths on the Humber Bridge.
Janet Allison lost her husband of 27 years, Robert, just five weeks ago when he tragically took his own life on the bridge. Mr Allison, 51, who worked for MKM Building Supplies, was reported missing on March 2 but sadly his body was discovered the following day.
His death is just one of six who have tragically taken their life in the past month alone. On Saturday, the Humber Bridge Board decided to take immediate action hours after the sixth person died, closing the footpaths for pedestrians and cyclists indefinitely.
Mrs Allison told the Grimsby Telegraph she is pleased measures are being put in place – although they come too late to save her family’s heartbreak.
She said: “I am pleased as something definitely needs to be done.
“I enjoy walking over the bridge with my family and so did Robert, so I don’t think the closure should be a permanent measure. “I think a better idea would be higher barriers or an enclosed walkway.
“It would go some way to stopping tragedies like what happened to Robert from happening again.”
Mrs Allison also thinks having people on the bridge available to talk to people could also help.
She said: “Aside from physical things like barriers and cameras, people on the bridge talking to others might be a good idea going forward.
“The general public need to be made more aware to help others.
“At the minute, it’s far too easy for people to take their own life on the bridge. “More needs to be done in general for mental health in our area as well. “Raising awareness is crucial to improving the situation.”
Mrs Allison and her daughters are still coming to terms with the loss of Robert. She met him 33 years ago in Grimsby and it was love at first sight.
Following his death, she said: “We’ve been taking each day as it comes and we have our ups and downs.
“Thankfully, we’ve got a big family to turn to if we need them and a number of friends who are there for us.
“It was such a shock for all of us, but Robert’s death has slowly started to sink in now.
“We’re just really missing not having him by our side.
“He was such a well-respected, loving family man, but also a very quiet person. “We met 33 years ago at Grimsby ice rink. Robert was a great skater, but I was more Bambi on ice if I’m honest.
“It was definitely love at first sight and we just got closer the more time we spent together.
“We were married for 27 years and it was a great 33 years together.” Following Robert’s death, family members and local companies have been fundraising in his memory.
Mrs Allison said: “My daughter has been working with her local kick boxing club, Grimsby Freestyle, and Robert’s employers, MKM Building Supplies, organised a JustGiving page.
“Anyone who is struggling with mental health should seek help wherever possible, talk to a friend, family member - anyone you can.
“Even if one person is saved, that’s better than none at all.”
The Humber Bridge Board has defended it’s controversial decision to close the footpaths, saying the unprecedented spike in deaths in recent weeks was “unlike anything we have previously dealt with”. On Monday, your Grimsby Telegraph joined those calls for further and more permanent action to prevent yet more tragedy. Now the Humber Bridge Board has acknowledged that while their decision was not universally supported, it was necessary as the “most immediate and effective way to prevent further incidents” at the bridge.
A spokesman said this was the board’s “sole consideration when making the decision”.
He said the measures already in place had been “largely effective” at preventing such incidents before March, but that the situation over the past month had been totally unprecedented.
Talks to decide on a more permanent solution are now ongoing as the board said they hoped to reopen the footpaths to commuters “as soon as possible”.