Parents of young man killed at notorious Brisbane intersection welcome overdue upgrade
The family of the young cyclist killed at a notorious intersection in Woolloongabba have welcomed the news it will be upgraded, in the hopes no other lives will be lost.
20-year-old Max McDowall tragically lost his life at the intersection of Gillingham and O’Keefe Streets one year ago.
Brisbane City Council has agreed to upgrade the intersection, after lobbying from the community.
Max’s dad, Robert McDowall and wife Karin have been campaigning to upgrade it since his death.
“It is absolutely overdue and we are really pleased the council has done something,” he told Scott Emerson.
“It just shows you what can happen when community voice comes together through individuals or media, a big shout at the council to do something and really they were forced into it I believe because we just kept going on and on.”
The family has been petitioning to change the design of the intersection.
There will be a dedicated left-hand turn lane for buses.
“We are really pleased they have agreed to do that, and that apparently will be happening in the next few months,” he said.
The family are still pushing for an inquest into his death, saying it was preventable.
They fear there are more intersections with similar flawed designs.
“Our quest is to still to have an inquest for Max which will ask those broader questions, which will ask how did this come to happen in the first place and how do we set up our systems in place in the future so it won’t happen again?”
Press PLAY below to hear Robert McDowall, and what they want to happen next
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