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ABC News
ABC News
National
By Jessica Clifford and Ainslie Drewitt Smith

Family of teenager killed in bus tragedy calls for traffic lights at 'nightmare' intersection

The family of a 14-year-old girl who died after being struck by a bus outside her school is lobbying for the "dangerous" intersection where she was killed to be upgraded.

Teenager Zoie Bell was killed at Ulladulla on the state's south coast a week ago as she was crossing the road during the afternoon school pick-up.

Several of her classmates were on the bus at the time of the accident and watched as teachers attempted to revive her.

Police are investigating the cause of the accident but Wes Holmes, a close friend of the family, said the crossing was too dangerous.

"The intersection backs on to the high-school and it's an x-intersection, so there are four different ways that the traffic can flow," Mr Holmes said.

"It's just an absolute nightmare.

"It gets really dangerous and something's got to be done about it."

Thousands sign petition

The Bell family has started a petition to persuade Shoalhaven Council to install traffic lights at the Vincent Street entry to the high-school.

"Pedestrian crossings would help but it would create an enormous gridlock at school pick-up times," Mr Holmes said.

"I think that's why the council hasn't done anything about it.

"There's no pedestrian crossing the whole way around the high-school. Once that bell rings that's 100 kids playing chicken with cars," he said.

More than 1,800 residents have signed the petition since it was started on Tuesday.

"I can't see anyone in Ulladulla that would object to [the campaign], it's just such a bad intersection," Mr Holmes said.

A funeral for Zoie will be held next week and a fundraiser set up to help assist her family with the cost has raised more than $36,000.

President of the Ulladulla Community Forum Grant Schultz said her death had rocked the community and he supported the family's campaign to upgrade the crossing.

"It's a particularly risky intersection in my view, and I think it is fair to say the community would like something put in place," he said.

"It's very unfortunate that we have to have such a tragic incident before something is done.

"Unfortunately we can't undo that, and if we can take any lessons from this incident we need to consider the Bell family and their grief and take the matter forward," Mr Schultz said.

Matter referred to the road authority

Shoalhaven Council has been contacted for a response but South Coast MP Shelley Hancock said she had requested the New South Wales Roads and Maritime Service conduct a review of safety in the area.

"When the investigation into the accident is completed, we'll have a look at the circumstances," Ms Hancock said.

"In the meantime, I've referred the matter to the RMS and any submissions that have been received from the high-school.

"Whatever those safety recommendations may be, I'll be advocating for every single one of them because we just can't have this happen again," she said.

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