Safety campaign following Llandudno Statham tragedy

Jan 8 2009 by Judith Phillips, North Wales Weekly News

THE Weekly News is calling on all its readers to support a road safety campaign set up following the deaths of the Statham family on the M6 in Cheshire last year.

We have launched an online petition on the Downing Street website urging the Government to bring in better safety measures on the stretch of road between Junctions 16 and 17, where all six members of the Llandudno family died when a lorry smashed into the back of their people carrier.

David and Michelle Statham, 38 and 33 respectively, and their four children Reece, 13, Jay, nine, Mason, 20 months, and 10-week-old Elouise lived on Clifton Road in the resort, and were so well-loved in the community that hundreds turned out for their funeral at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in November to pay tribute.

Now, in an effort to make sure something good and positive comes out of something so tragic, the Weekly News is encouraging all its loyal readers to support our campaign to get the Government to consider improvements to one of the country’s busiest transport arteries.

Weekly News editor Alan Davies said: “Seven recent deaths on the M6 motorway in South Cheshire, including all six members of the Statham family, have shocked everyone. The Weekly News is urging readers to back our campaign for stronger safety measures.

“It is now obvious to everyone that something needs to be done about the state of the M6 motorway in this area. At busy times it is almost overwhelmed by the sheer volume of traffic and serious accidents are becoming more and more frequent.

“The widening of the M6 or the building of an alternative road would, of course, entail massive expenditure and result in protests, but surely the authorities could come up with some improvement? Rolling speed limits like they have on the M25 are one example.”

Llandudno mayor Billy Evans says he will definitely add his name to the Downing Street petition, and urges others to do so too.

“I think it is brilliant that the Weekly News is supporting this petition and I will back you all the way. This tragedy has affected nearly everyone in the town and we don’t want something like this to happen again on that stretch of road.”

Sign the petition here: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/M6tragedy/