Death of Yorkshire schoolboy in hit-and-run 'could have been avoided' says councillor

Nine-year-old George Lewis was killed on September 17 in Sutton-in-Craven as he walked home from the local cricket club with his dad Michael.

His death sparked a petition demanding a footpath and other safety measures are introduced on Sutton Lane which has been described as a “nightmare” and “very dangerous”.

The petition was discussed at a North Yorkshire County Council meeting when councillor Robert Heseltine, who represents the Skipton East division, said the authority should have addressed safety concerns when they were previously raised by residents.

“This is a tragic situation,” he said. “I remember this issue being brought to our attention on more than one previous occasion but, for whatever reason, it didn’t get progressed.

“If only we had been more keen on the subject at that time then this child wouldn’t have lost his life. It is little sympathy for the family that action is now being taken.

“Hopefully we can learn lessons for the future and where there is a clear danger, we get on with it.”

A report to the meeting said the council was working with Bradford Council on potential improvements for the cross-border road, but added previous attempts to purchase land for a footpath had been “unsuccessful”.

Councillor Philip Barrett, who represents the South Craven division, said these previous efforts had been well supported, but were “not easy” to get approved.

He said: “This isn’t the first time this has come around. There have been possibilities in the past, but they have not proved successful for various reasons.

“We have tried and we will continue to do so. Hopefully this joint working will now bring forward the solutions everybody wants.”

Councillor Barrett also said Sutton Lane had only got busier in recent years and that it was now a matter of urgency to bring forward improvements.

He added: “Over recent years the traffic levels have increased. This was a backwater, very quiet road in the past. But now as communities have grown it attracts far more traffic and indeed pedestrians as well.”

After the incident on September 17, a 49-year-old van driver fled the scene but later handed himself into police and was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

A statement from West Yorkshire Police at the time said officers were called shortly after 9.30pm to a report of a collision on Sutton Lane near the junction with Knott Lane.

The statement said: “Emergency services attended, including the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, despite medical treatment, a nine-year-old boy was pronounced deceased at the scene.

“It was reported that a white van was in collision with the boy, and another pedestrian who suffered minor injuries, before making off from the scene.”