Council has just three weeks to answer coroner’s call for road safety measures after death of student

A county council has another three weeks to explain what action it has taken, if any, to improve safety outside a school where a teenager was killed.
Millie Noonan, who died while crossing the A607outside Sir William Robertson Academy in Welbourn. EMN-200519-151601001Millie Noonan, who died while crossing the A607outside Sir William Robertson Academy in Welbourn. EMN-200519-151601001
Millie Noonan, who died while crossing the A607outside Sir William Robertson Academy in Welbourn. EMN-200519-151601001

Millie Taylor-Noonan, 18, died on December 4, 2018, while crossing the A607 near the Sir William Robertson School in Welbourn, where she was a student.

She was hit by a car, suffering significant head injuries and cardiac arrest. She was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham but died the following day.

Only a few weeks before the tragedy Millie, from Sudbrook, had received an organ donor card and her liver and two kidneys were donated to three patients awaiting transplants.

Millie with dad Obadiah Light. EMN-200519-153135001Millie with dad Obadiah Light. EMN-200519-153135001
Millie with dad Obadiah Light. EMN-200519-153135001

At an inquest in September last year a conclusion of death as a result of a road traffic collision was recorded.

Millie’s father, Obadiah Light, called for better safety measures outside the school and Timothy Brennand, senior coroner for Lincolnshire, said that to try to prevent future deaths he would be issuing a Regulation 28 report to the county council asking what steps would be taken or had already been taken, and setting out a timetable for such work.

In his letter to the authority, a copy of which has been sent to the Chief Coroner for England Wales, he wrote: “Otherwise you must explain why no action is proposed.”

Mr Brennand said that while there were advance warning signs about the school there was nothing to indicate to road users that, in effect, there was a school crossing area which was unlit.

He continued: “The evidence demonstrated that the deceased may have been distracted by other road traffic users and in particular a school bus emerging from the school premises in the immediacy of the collision, that serves to demonstrate the vulnerability of pedestrians in this location at such a time.”

The coroner also points out that there are no other measures to protect pedestrians, such as railings, street lighting, an automated crossing or 20mph temporary speed limits at the beginning or end of the school day.

The council has until June 10 to respond.

Following Millie’s death local county councillor Marianne Overton said she “would leave no stone unturned” to improve road safety in the location.

In response to the verdict of the inquest Coun Richard Davies, executive member for highways at Lincolnshire County Council, said at the time: “This was a tragic incident and our thoughts are with Millie’s family and friends at this difficult time.

“We will, of course, consider any feedback from the coroner regarding potential safety improvements and take appropriate action.”