A "devastated" family who lost three people in the bin lorry tragedy have expressed "great concerns" about the investigation of the crash, reports Linzi Watson. 

University student Erin McQuade, 18, died along with her grandparents Jack, 68, and Lorraine Sweeney, 69, on Queen Street on December 22 last year.

The family told an inquiry, through solicitor Mark Stewart QC, that they "profoundly disagree" with the Crown's decision to bring not prosecutions following the tragedy. 

Mr Stewart said he was speaking on behalf of Jacqueline and Matthew McQuade - Erin's parents - and Yvonne Reilly - Jacqueline's sister and Mr and Mrs Sweeney's daughter - and her husband Michael. 

He said that the fact that the tragedy was categorised as a road traffic crash the day after meant that that the Heath and Safety Executive did not ask for any "paper work, conduct any interviews or carry out any inquiries".

He said the decision by Police Scotland and the Crown Office to treat the crash as a road traffic accident was "not questioned by the inquiry".

Mr Stewart added: "There is no question that Henry Clarke was the driver but at no stage was he ever interviewed by the police.

"This was an investigation conducted with remarkable haste," he added. 

He added that the fact that the Fatal Accident Inquiry has spanned five weeks shows that "much of the circumstances of this tragedy still required to be fully explored". 

He said the FAI was staged "so quickly" and that the family felt they were "under heightened pressure at a time when their loss is so painfully raw".

Mr Stewart said: "The importance to the family of having these points made in the public forum can't be understated."

Mr Stewart then added that the family have attended the inquiry throughout and have done so with "remarkable strength of character, grace and dignity".

Sheriff John Beckett said: "I agree with that."

Mr Stewart told the inquiry earlier that the family where Christmas shopping, along with Erin's mother and Jack and Lorraine's daughter Jacqueline McQuade, when they were hit by a runaway bin lorry which careered out of control after driver Harry Clarke passed out. 

All three died at the scene from multiple injures. 

Mr Stewart said, during his closing submission: "It is obvious this is a close family and one that has been devastated by the events of December 22, 2010."

Mr Stewart said: "Erin was Jacqueline and Matthew's oldest and one of four children."

She had two younger teenage brothers and a younger sister, who is just seven.

Erin was in her first year at Glasgow University where she was studying English literature which she was "passionate about" and she worked part time at Cameron House. 

"She was also a talented artist and painter," Mr Stewart said. 

Mr and Mrs Sweeney were caring grandparents and had a close relationship with their daughters, it was heard. 

He said: "Mr Sweeney held a variety of jobs in the course of his working life and spent time working in Canada."

He had an interest in gardening, horse racing and "enjoyed family holidays". 

Mr Stewart added: "Mrs Sweeney was a working lady. She worked in a coffee shop, enjoyed shopping trips and was a keen baker."

Mr Stewart said: "On December 22 Erin, Jacqueline and Mr and Mrs Sweeney had all been Christmas shopping they went for lunch and this was something that they regularly enjoyed - spending time together as a family."

Mr Stewart told the FAI, which is now in day 26, a new law is needed to prosecute drivers who make false declarations to the DVLA. 

He said that that the "absence of medical cross checks" following Harry Clarke's previous black out at the wheel of a bus in 2010 "caused and contributed to the deaths".

He said this been done, it would have been a "trigger" which would have "instigated and excited and inquiry into Mr Clarke's medical background".

He said: "This is a defect in a system and one which, on my analysis, caused or materially contributed to the accident." 

He also added that there could be a change in the law in a bid to ensure more prosecutions for people who make false declarations to the DVLA. 

Mr Stewart also said Glasgow City Council could and should remove heavy vehicles from streets busy with pedestrians to minimise the risk to the public. 

The Solicitor General, in her final submissions, made wide-reaching recommendations about what could be done to avoid another tragedy.

Lesley Thomson QC told the FAI that the DVLA should launch a "public consultation" to review their fitness to drive guidance and that Glasgow City Council should conduct an "internal review of their employment process".

The inquiry, which is in day 25, has previously heard that driver Harry Clarke passed out behind the wheel of the Glasgow City Council bin lorry which then careered out of control and collided with pedestrians - killing six and injuring 15.