Move to curb speeding at accident blackspot

Hopes are high that East Dunbartonshire Council could be set to take action to curb speeding at an accident blackspot in Kirkintilloch.
Residents protesting at junction of Waterside Road and Bankhead Road.Residents protesting at junction of Waterside Road and Bankhead Road.
Residents protesting at junction of Waterside Road and Bankhead Road.

The council has commissioned an independent assessment after two horror road smashes at Waterside Road ,at its junction with Bankhead Road.

After the second smash 
a few weeks ago, when a motorbike pillion passenger ended up in a family front garden at Waterside Road, the council at first maintained it would wait for the results of a police investigation.

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But as demand for action grew from the Herald, Kirkintilloch East MP Stuart McDonald, Councillors Jack Young and John Jamieson, shocked residents and members of Waterside Community Council, the council commissioned the survey.

Grace Irvine, director of neighbourhood services, said: “The council takes road safety concerns extremely seriously and it has been actively engaged with police since the first incident last year, to discuss options to reduce any risk to residents and other road users from speeding drivers.”

She added that, while the council would normally await the formal police incident report, it had taken the decision to commission an independent assessment “to examine the best solution to inhibit speeding”. She said results of the survey were due “shortly”.

Last week, Mr McDonald called for a meeting of police, East Dunbartonshire Council, local councillors and residents to discuss “all options”.

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Councillor Young, who has been at the forefront of the campaign, wants a crash barrier installed to protect homes.

Resident Mary Millar agreed on the Herald’s Facebook page. She said: “Why waste money on reports? Just sort out the problem. Put traffic calming measures in place and a more robust crash barrier (motorway standard perhaps) in front of the houses.”

The first smash happened in October 2014. Stephen Wright and his family cheated death when the living room of their home at Waterside Road was demolished by a car.