Lack of action over road safety branded “an insult”

Thursday 08 September 2016

The father of toddler Clinton Pringle has spoken out against the lack of improvements to road safety since his child was killed three months ago.

Michael Pringle says there has been only superficial changes made to the road layout around Millennium Town Park since his three-year-old son’s death.

Clinton died after he was hit by a van near the park, prompting locals to wage a campaign calling for drastic safety measures to the roads around the park.

In particular, they say there is insufficient demarcation between road and pavement, causing confusion to pedestrians and drivers.  

So far the only changes to the park’s road layout has been the erection of a number of new signs, which according to Mr Pringle “falls well short of what we expected.”

Clinton’s father has also accused rule makers of failing in their duty to protect the public, saying their reluctance to act is a disgrace.

Mr Pringle said: "While I recognise that Parish of St Helier are reluctant to make wholesale changes to the roads surrounding Millennium Town Park whilst the police investigation into Clinton's death is still ongoing, they should certainly have done more than they have to date.

"The signage that has been put in place since his death falls well short of what we expected in the form of changes. The 'additional' measures are nothing more than the bare minimum and are an insult to Clinton's memory.”

Clinton was on holiday in Jersey when the tragedy happened and the Friends of the Millennium Town Park group have been campaigning ever since to make the area made safer.

The roads are the responsibility of the Parish and the group have used an old legal device known as a 'requette' to force Town Constable Simon Crowcroft to hold a parish meeting within two weeks to discuss the issue.

Mr Pringle said: "It shouldn't take campaigners invoking centuries-old laws to force the Parish to take action on this road layout now, rather than later. I hope that none of those elected to represent the people living in the Parish of St Helier - or anyone else for that matter - ever have to look at their child fighting for their life while lying in a hospital bed, the way we did. Maybe if they had to endure what we have had to they wouldn't be so reluctant to act."

A 38-year-old woman was arrested in connection with road traffic offences at the time of Clinton's death but has not been charged.