The granddaughter of a man killed in the Croydon tram crash disaster says finding out nobody would be prosecuted was like "a kick in the face."
Last week the Crown Prosecution Service revealed that following a three year investigation, neither the driver nor Tram Operations Limited or Transport for London would be charged following the deaths of seven people.
Philip Logan was one of those seven killed in 2016 when a tram came off the rails.
His granddaughter, Danielle Whetter, was left devastated by the decision.
"You can’t even put into words how we’re feeling, it’s horrible," she told the Croydon Guardian.
"We were expecting it because it has taken so long, but it’s a kick in the face."
RELATED: The driver of a Croydon tram which crashed and killed seven people will NOT be charged
As well as the decision itself, she feels let down by British Transport Police.
"We were only told of the decision an hour before it went to the press," Danielle added.
"An hour to take in a 14 page report before the whole world found out.
"I pleaded with police not to give out the information near the anniversary. I can only speak for my family, but I think it's disgusting."
A spokesman for BTP said the reason the public announcement was made so soon after the families were informed was due to the amount of national interest that would come from the report.
“Ever since the devastating Croydon tram crash in 2016, we know the families of those who died, survivors and wider public have desperately sought answers," the spokesman said.
"During those three years, a dedicated team at British Transport Police has been working tirelessly to investigate the causes of the crash.
“Once we received notification that the Crown Prosecution Service would not bring manslaughter charges, specialist officers met with families as soon as practicably possible for everyone involved. They talked them through the decision, which we knew would be upsetting for the loved ones of those who lost their lives, and tried to answer any questions they had. That support will continue.
“Due to the intense public interest and the number of people affected by the incident, it was important for survivors and the wider public to receive the information in as timely a manner as possible. Our specialist officers were, and remain, constantly on hand to help families through any contact they may have with the media.”
But Danielle isn't done yet.
RELATED: 'The families, who have shown huge strength for the past three years, deserve justice'
As well as planning on appealing the CPS's decision, she has started a petition which if successful, would see the Government bring in news laws for tram drivers.
"Currently if there is an accident on certain stretches of track, there is no law being regulated, so it's hard to get a prosecution," she said.
"I want people to push it because it doesn’t affect just Croydon. It affects tramways up in Blackpool, in Manchester."
The petition already received the minimum five signatures required by the Government.It is currently being checked by the Government to make sure it meets the petition standards before it is made available to the public.
Danielle added that she has been in contact with Croydon Central MP Sarah Jones about the petition.
The MP added: "The gaps in the law around tram safety meant the Croydon tram crash investigation took far longer than it should have, despite hard work from the police.
"The families now face more uncertainty over whether they will get justice. It's clear that we need specific safety legislation for trams and I will be working alongside them to make that happen."
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