Councillor Tony Newman, leader of the council
This has been a harrowing week for the people of Croydon, following Wednesday’s horrific tram incident. Yet, despite the unimaginable sense of tragedy that we all feel for those who have lost loved ones, and those who remain injured and traumatised, I and many others also feel a sense of pride in how, as a community, the people of Croydon have come together to support each other through a most challenging and traumatic time.
As council leader, I want to also pay tribute to the heroic and dedicated work of our emergency services who, with their professionalism and the speed of their response, rescued so many and undoubtedly prevented the loss of life being even higher. Alongside the emergency services, recognition must go to our own council staff, the NHS staff at both St George’s and Croydon University Hospitals, TFL staff, the Red Cross, Victim Support, the Salvation Army, rail care teams, community and faith groups, and the numerous volunteers working with us who ensured we have seen a well-planned professional and coordinated response to a major transport disaster.
Our local MPs and councillors have been and will be continuing to work with communities across Croydon this weekend, and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who visited the crash site with me on the day of the incident has been hugely supportive. Indeed, with the Mayor and the community, we have today announced the launching of a Just Giving fundraising page at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/croydon-council-tram-incident-fund to support all the victims and local communities at this most difficult of times.
So, even as we mourn those we have lost, we should take pride as a town and as communities in New Addington and elsewhere that Croydon has again shown that, when confronted with the most difficult of challenges, we can come together and respond so positively. I know the community and our council will continue to support, in the weeks and months to come, all those affected.
On behalf of our town, I say thank you again to everybody who has worked so hard this week in tackling this most dreadful of events and say again, to all the victims, that you remain at the forefront of all our thoughts and prayers.
