Buildings in Liverpool to be lit up to honour road safety campaigner

Key buildings in Liverpool are to be lit up in memory of a road safety campaigner.

Pauline Fielding MBE turned to RoadPeace, the national charity for road crash victims, for support after her son Andrew was killed in 1994 at the age of just 18 years, in a crash caused by a driver who did not stay at the scene and who was never traced.

She later became a trustee of the charity, co-ordinating its activities in the north west and organising its annual service on 31 August every year to remember Diana, Princess of Wales and all road crash victims.

Pauline sadly died in April 2023, but campaigned tirelessly for safer roads across Merseyside and beyond until her death.

This year, as a mark of respect, the annual north west service has been cancelled. Instead, Liverpool Town Hall, St George’s Hall and Merseyside Police headquarters will be lit up in purple in her memory.

Lord Mayor, Cllr Mary Rasmussen, said: “Pauline was a tireless campaigner for road safety and determined to make sure that the issue should be highlighted and that victims and their families should never be forgotten.

“I was extremely saddened to learn that she had passed away, and felt that it was right to do something to remember her incredible contribution over almost three decades.”

In a statement, Pauline’s family said: “We, the family of Pauline Fielding, are grateful to the Merseyside Road Safety Partnership, for choosing this tribute in honour of both Pauline and RoadPeace.

“Pauline was a long-standing member of the Merseyside Road Safety Partnership prior to her death in April 2023 and she was also the Coordinator for RoadPeace North West and a Trustee for the charity. 

“Pauline worked tirelessly to support the victims and the families of those killed and seriously injured in road traffic collisions for almost 30 years. 

“We consider it a fitting tribute on this, the last day of August, which was designated National Road Victim Month following the death of Princess Diana on 31st August 1997, and to commemorate the first death by a motor vehicle – Bridget Driscoll – in 1896.

“It is also the day on which Pauline annually organised a service at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral to remember all those who died and were seriously injured as a result of road traffic collisions.”