York’s rivers have claimed the lives of 24 people over the last 15 years and 35 near misses in 2014/15. Following York St John student Megan Roberts tragic death in the River Foss in January 2014 after consuming three and a half times the legal limit for driving, many students to this day still feel unsafe walking around the river after a night out due to the lack of safety precautions put in place.
Charley Punshon, a first year student living at Percy’s Lane directly opposite the River Foss, expresses her fears walking by the river to get home after a night out.
“People under the influence of alcohol can be extremely unpredictable and are able to put others in danger especially around the river, i believe there should be more safety precautions put in place as at the moment there is only a flimsy chain running along the side of the river”
Despite the City of York Council making almost £100,000 worth of river safety improvements along the banks of the Ouse and Foss, students still feel more could be done to prevent tragic drownings in the future.
However, there has been some controversy regarding river safety precautions in York as there is an ongoing battle between the safety of the community and the appearance of the river. Some residents believe that creating more efficient barriers next to the river, will ruin its appearance as some feel that the river is the only place you get a real sense of nature near the town centre. However, in a recent survey the majority of votes supported the safety of the river more than the appearance of the river, suggesting that more should be done to improve the safety of the community, especially student based areas. This is because it can become extremely slippery on the path near the river causing immediate danger for people under the influence of alcohol.
In a recent, short survey 50% of students fear walking home near the river late at night, 33% say they sometimes feel vulnerable near the river and 16% say they have no issues walking by the river. Due to the majority of students fearing walking by the river, there is also a staggering 83% of people that believe more safety precautions should be put in place such as stronger fencing based around the river and more information nearby on river safety and the precautions to take during an emergency.
Overall, it is clear that there are many issues regarding river safety in York. The amount of students expressing their opinion on the matter is enough for next steps to be taken to ensure the safety of the community and to take the ever growing dangers of the river more seriously.
How would you improve river safety?
Twitter: @LibbyinceYSJ