Honour for parents who dedicated their lives to road safety after tragic death of daughter

A couple has been awarded British Empire Medals (BEMs) for their tireless work as road safety campaigners, a tribute they consider a fitting "memorial" to their late daughter.

George Atkinson, 77, and Giulietta Galli-Atkinson, 76, have dedicated over 25 years to advocating for stricter penalties for drivers who harm pedestrians.

The Rugby-based pair began their campaign after their 16 year old daughter Livia was tragically killed by a driver who mounted the pavement in Enfield, north London, in 1998 while she was walking home from ballet.

Read more: 'Missed opportunities' in care of girl who died after being sent home from A&E

Read more: Join the free CoventryLive WhatsApp community

Their efforts have now been acknowledged in the King's Birthday Honours list for their services to road safety.

On receiving the honour, Mr Atkinson expressed his surprise to the PA news agency: "Initially we were totally shocked because we don't know who put us forward for this award. But we're very humbled and delighted to have won it because it acknowledges what we've done with road safety."

Mrs Galli-Atkinson added: "It's fantastic. It was a surprise [and] we're honoured, because it's great recognition. Apart from anything else, it's a suitable memorial for our daughter Livia for all the work that we have done. We've contributed to something that we've really believed in needed doing."

She explained that the couple felt compelled to act immediately after Livia's death due to its sudden and violent nature, and because they had read of similar incidents in the newspapers that were "not treated seriously".

She expressed: "We could see what other campaigners like RoadPeace and Brake were doing, and we supported them. But at the same time, we wanted to do our own thing... where we could see that perhaps we could be more vociferous."

The couple's relentless campaigning has led to legal amendments, with harsher sentences now in place for drivers who cause death or serious injury, and they have contributed to 20 Government consultations since 2000.

They have also been instrumental and regular contributors to initiatives such as Safe Drive Stay Alive, which has provided road safety education to approximately 100,000 secondary school students nationwide.

The Livia Awards was founded by the couple to annually honour a Metropolitan Police officer who has demonstrated exceptional investigative work in serious and fatal road traffic collisions. Now in their 26th year, the awards are considered one of the most significant events in the parliamentary road safety calendar.

"The Met have made a lot of mistakes in other areas of crime, but where road policing and collision investigations are concerned, they've really tried to step up," Mrs Galli-Atkinson commented.

"Where there has been meritorious service, we need to be able to show how it can be done, not only in London. [There are] new generations of roads policemen coming in so they need to know this is what is expected, this is what families expect of you."

A touching memorial garden for Livia was established close to the location of their daughter's tragic collision in Enfield, opening its gates in 1999 as a place for the family to leave enduring floral tributes.

Mrs Galli-Atkinson described the garden as a "lovely space", noting: "[It] not only allows us to give something back to the people of Enfield for their kindness, but it also allows us to raise the profile on the issues that we care about."

Get daily headlines and breaking news emailed to you - it’s FREE