'Losing Will, the impact is ongoing': Principal's call for safety upgrades

William was walking home from school with his three elder sisters on December 13, 2023 - just nine days before his eighth birthday - when he was hit and killed while trying to cross Market Street in Balranald.

This year William's parents launched a petition calling on Transport for NSW to either install a zebra crossing on Market Street, flashing lights and a crossing, or implement a school zone with a 40 kilometre speed reduction.

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School principal Natalie Lay is throwing her support behind the petition as she can't stomach another family having to face the same unimaginable heartache as the Ellis family.

"Losing Will, the impact is ongoing and I don't want any family to go through what the Ellis family is going through," she said.

"I think we need some sort of crossing between Myall Street and Market Street and We Street and Market Street.

"There is high volume of children crossing Market Street in the mornings and afternoons."

It is a concern Ms Lay has had for years, long before William was killed.

"It has been an ongoing concern," she said.

"It's a major highway and the Balranald Library, which is on the corner, is a community hub for children and many of them go there after school."

The Balranald Library runs after school care and is on the corner of We Street and Market Street, on the opposite side to the block where St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is located.

Following the tragedy, a "high pedestrian activity area" sign was erected on both sides of the shopping precinct on the street.

Prior to recent weeks, there had been no bus route for children living on the other side of Market Street, meaning students living on that side of town would have to cross it when walking home if they weren't able to be picked up by a parent or guardian.

William's Mother Kylie Gebert said while they hadn't been contacted by Transport for NSW in regards to the petition, they did have a meeting on Monday.

"We must thank Minister Jenny Aitchison for organising this after Shaun [William's father] contacted her directly," Ms Gebert said.

"They advised us they would work with us to ensure we come to a solution that we were all happy with.

"I'm hopeful that this will never happen and no one will ever have to go through the heartbreaking loss my family has suffered."

Transport for NSW has been contacted by The Daily Advertiser for a response.

The petition has garnered more than 1000 signatures online and hundreds manually.

The petition can be signed via the change.org website.