<\/p>\n
Brian Hastie says his family visits Tyler’s memorial at least once a month.\u00a0 (ABC South West: Pip Waller\u00a0)<\/p>\n
Western Australia’s transport authority now wants to remove and relocate the memorial, citing safety concerns.<\/p>\n
Tyler’s grandfather Brian Hastie said the family still visited the site once a month to pay their respects.<\/p>\n
“We were always told it was never going to be touched. It’s incorrect to move it,” Mr Hastie said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“The cross is exactly where he was being worked on. Exactly where he died.”Concerns for safety, says Main Roads\u00a0<\/p>\n
A Main Roads WA spokesperson said it would work with the Hastie family on a suitable relocation.<\/p>\n
“The location [of the memorial] poses a serious safety risk for anyone stopping or crossing live traffic to visit the site,” a Main Roads WA spokesperson said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“The decision is not about aesthetics or appearance. It’s about ensuring the safety of people wishing to visit the memorial, as well as passing motorists.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When asked why the decision had now been made to relocate the five-year-old memorial, Main Roads WA indicated the memorial had always been a safety concern.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The memorial remained untouched during the Bussell Highway duplication.\u00a0 (ABC South West: Pip Waller\u00a0)<\/p>\n
Tyler’s father Robert said his son’s memorial should be left alone.<\/p>\n
“How would you feel if it was your daughter, your son, your family member, that you want to uproot and disrespect and move?” he said.<\/p>\n
The Main Roads WA spokesperson said the authority understood the importance of roadside memorials to loved ones of people who have been killed on the roads.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Main Roads WA follows its Roadside Memorial Policy when relocating or removing memorials, which is informed by staff, WA Police and the Road Safety Commission.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Tyler is remembered for his love of Harry Potter and his kind and caring nature.\u00a0 (Supplied: Brian Hastie \u00a0)<\/p>\n
Families forced to ‘relive’ trauma\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the Hastie family, the memorial also acts as a safety reminder for road users.<\/p>\n
Tarryn Sanford runs Heart Hub South West, a not-for-profit organisation that offers professional counselling for those impacted by road trauma.\u00a0<\/p>\n