Weekly News Update 20

On Saturday 19^th March the ride reopened to visitors of the park, but as expected, the ride wasn’t full of excited passengers straight away. Many visitors saw it as a day of fear, but others treated it as any other day at a theme park. One visitor told the reporter of this story “I can see why today is an important day, but I think that technical hitches can happen on any ride, on any day, at any park, and if we live our lives in fear then what is the use of going to theme parks that are meant to be fun. Neil Charteris, a 53-year-old maintenance engineer from Cannock, who has friends who have worked at the park, went on with his daughter Laura. He said had “no nerves. The safety issue doesn’t bother me. I’m just glad it’s re-opened, so we can carry on.”

My story this week comes from the Guardian and tells the story of the reopening of the ‘Smiler’ ride at Alton Towers which left 16 people severely injured in June 2015 when the ride crashed. Staff misunderstood a shutdown message and wrongly restarted the ride, an investigation by the park confirmed leaving the 4 passengers on the front These include 21-year-old Vicky Balch, whose leg was amputated after one of the ride’s carriages smashed into another at high speed. She has criticised Alton Towers for putting “money before safety” and called for the ride to remain closed. But the crowds who queued outside the park from 7am had different ideas.

I think this is an important story because millions of people go to theme parks every year, and technical glitches happen but not to this extent. Those passengers that lost their legs may be feeling angry that now this ride that has ruined their lives is up in running giving enjoyment to people rand technical glitches happen but not to this extent. Those passengers that lost their legs may be feeling angry that now this ride that has ruined their lives is up in running giving enjoyment to people every day.