Families were united in tragedy at a poignant memorial event to mark the lives of those who have died on our roads amid calls for tougher action against those responsible.
There was barely a dry eye as widow Kate Uzzell, whose husband Martyn was killed on the roads, read a poem called ‘Four minus one equals three’, written by Tracy Bouaziz after the death of her son Adam.
It summed up the heartbreak felt by many families who get the ‘dreadful knock at the door’ that so often marks the transition from life before and after loss.
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The ceremony was held at the National Memorial Arboretum, near Lichfield, and annually marks the sad roll call of people who have died in vehicles, on bikes, walking or scooting on our roads network.
Behind the event is RoadPeace, a charity that is a pillar of support for the families and friends of road crash victims. The turnout of around 200 people was a stark reminder of the urgent need to ‘turn the tide on road violence’ in the West Midlands and beyond.
There were calls from families present for tougher enforcement against drivers found responsible for death and serious injury crashes, including stiffer prison terms and longer road bans.
They also want more road safety measures including slower speeds, more average speed cameras and a crackdown on fake and ghost licence plates that evade speed cameras and police CCTV.
The one-hour ceremony saw tributes paid by members from across the country, some highlighting initiatives in the names of their loved ones, including respite accommodation for the bereaved now open in memory of Ryan Saltern.
Councillor Monica Stringfellow, cabinet member for community safety at Redditch Borough Council, lost her brother in a road crash and urged those attending to continue campaigning for change, and to continue to petition, protest and advocate ‘on the promise that someday beautiful lives will not end abruptly and senselessly on the roads of the world.’
The event was co-organised by Lucy Harrison, the charity’s justice manager and coordinator for RoadPeace West Midlands and West Mercia, who lost her brother Peter Price when he was struck by a 93mph hit-and-run driver and left for dead in Hagley Road in November 2014. Her fight for improved road safety carries a single poignant aim – to prevent more families from enduring lifelong losses like hers.
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Speaking after the event, Denise Bennell, whose son Nick was killed in a road crash near Redditch in 2021, spoke of the trauma of loss and her three-year fight for justice that resulted.
Her son, one of three siblings, was just 35 when he died. He had come off his Honda motorbike on the dualled A448 Bromsgrove Highway towards Redditch and, while other cars stopped, Fay Newman overtook them and ran over Nick and his motorbike at speed.
Denise said she still recalled the terrible moment she learned of his death. “I got that knock on the door that you hear about, and I will never forget it.”
“His death traumatised all of us. Losing him was terrible; we still miss him all the time. He had an infectious laugh, a cheeky smile and was a terrible flirt but just loved life.”
Amy said her brother was ‘an amazing friend and uncle’ and ‘was always the life and soul of any gathering,’ while his young niece Violet recalled how her uncle was always playful and funny.
After his death, the family had to fight for justice, relying on the victim’s right to a case review through the Crown Prosecution Service before a charge was brought against the driver. Ms Newman, 52, was jailed for 20 months last December, 2024, after a jury convicted her of causing Nick’s death by dangerous driving. Ms Newman died last month, while still serving her prison term.
Also attending the event was Jayne Preston whose former husband Alan was hit by a young driver while out cycling in 2023. A devoted Walsall fan and father of two, he was cycling on the A452 Chester Road and Lazy Hill, near Stonnall, when he was tragically struck by a young driver and killed.
The 58-year-old, who was a member of Pelsall Cycling Club, was knocked off his bike by Alfie Swann, who had only just passed his test, sustaining severe head injuries. Sadly, he died in hospital 13 days later.
The 19-year-old driver had only passed his test in November 2022. Swann, of Widney Avenue in Aldridge, stopped his car, remained at the scene until police arrived, cooperated in interviews and later pleaded guilty to causing Mr Preston’s death by careless driving.
He told police he had looked both ways at the junction before pulling out but didn’t see Mr Preston until it was too late. He received a two-year community order.
The junction has been the scene of four accidents since 2002. The Preston family and Aldridge-Brownhills MP Wendy Morton have lobbied since for more safety measures on the road, including traffic lights.
Said Jayne: “It is a really busy road and the junction is badly built and a hazard. The impact on all the family has been enormous. My health has been hugely harmed, and his mum never got over it, she died soon after. It’s really hard; he left two grown-up children, and they miss him.
“He lived for two more weeks after the crash but was in a coma and there was nothing they could do for him so we had to say goodbye. It was devastating.”
Also attending the event was West Midlands police and crime commissioner Simon Foster. It was the third annual ceremony he had attended and he was among those who read out the rollcall of tributes. “It is very poignant and moving to be here and the pain we witness is a reminder that we need to take constant and unrelenting action to improve road safety.
“We need to tackle crime and anti-social driving on our roads so more people are not having to attend events like this,” he said.
“We were told while we were at school, that maths is great and numbers are cool, and usually I would agree, but since last year that changed for me.
“When I see this simple sum, the ‘minus one’ is my eldest son.
“How can happy really be, going down from four to three? For 18 years there has always been four, until that dreadful knock on the door, telling us were minus one, and we had lost our precious son.
