Erewash MP hails a ‘major step for forward’ in making Ilkeston Market Place safer

Erewash MP Adam Thompson (Credit: Adam Thompson/LDRS)

Erewash MP Adam Thompson has attended a meeting with Derbyshire County Council’s Highways Lead Cllr Charlotte Hill and Loraine Wilson, Samuel Wilson’s mother, and Lauren Colton, his partner.

Samuel was murdered on Ilkeston market place in December 2023.

Lauren and Loraine have been campaigning for years to make Ilkeston market place safer for petitions. This included launching a petition last year which garnered some 7000 signatures, even gaining cross-party support. Adam was proud to submit the petition to Parliament.

Derbyshire County Council’s new commitment to install bollards between the John Warren and King’s Head pubs represents a major step toward better protecting people in the pedestrianised area. The concession comes after it was widely reported that Loraine felt she had been “blanked” by the council.

The gap between the Warren and the King’s Head is the route that Samuel’s murderer took in his van from Pimlico car park on to the market place. Despite it not legally being a road, it was routinely used as such, and Adam has previously talked to Google and Apple about removing the route from their maps.

Loraine and Lauren mean to keep campaigning and working with Adam to make Ilkeston market place safer. The signage that is up remains confusing for drivers and pedestrians alike. The traffic regulation orders in place are multiple, complex, and outdated. These need to be comprehensively reviewed, as they have recently been in Long Eaton.

Adam said: “I am happy for Samuel Wilson’s family and friends, and grateful to Derbyshire County Council for finally taking action on this issue. I hope that we can go forward working together productively and in good faith for Ilkeston and its people. There is still a long way to go, and things need to change, but undeniably this is a major step forward.”