OAP escapes lorry crash

Nov 14 2008 by Sharon Liptrott, Dumfries Standard Friday

A PENSIONER got “the shock of his life” when an HGV ploughed into his garden fence beside the notorious A76 at Auldgirth.

Bill Jardine, aged 72, was working just 12 yards away when the lorry slammed against the hedge alongside his property on Tuesday afternoon.

He was unharmed but shaken by the incident.

Bill said: “I got the shock of my life. I saw the side of this huge vehicle moving closer to the fence and hedge and heard the tremendous rattle of metal as it got closer.

“It all happened so fast. I did not give it a chance to hit me. I just got out of the way and ran to find out what was going on.”

The vehicle left the A76 and narrowly missed a bus stop before driving over a public footpath, gouging out soil and damaging 50 metres of Mr Jardine’s fence and hedge.

It continued for another 140 yards and knocked out two access bollards before coming to rest.

No-one was injured.

Mr Jardine, who lives in Dumfries, was visiting a house he owns at Hayfield, Auldgirth, at the time of the crash.

He said: “The driver did very well to keep straight and stop the vehicle which suffered some damage. He told me that he had clipped the kerb near the bus stop and it dragged him in.”

Only 15 minutes earlier Mr Jardine had been walking on the public footpath.

He added: “I am very lucky to be able to tell the tale. I must have been shaking because someone offered me a cup of tea.

“It just illustrates what might have happened had anyone been on the footpath or at the bus stop at the time. Both are well used and residents on the Auldgirth housing scheme and Hayfield want something done.

“We have a lot of problems along this stretch from motorists who put their foot down here after the earlier bends. There are also some stupid overtaking manoeuvres along here. And there are five T-junctions within half a mile from Auldgirth shop to entrance of Auldgirth housing scheme, but no warnings to motorists.”

The incident, which happened less than a mile from the spot where eight-year-old Closeburn Primary pupil Joseph Locke was killed in a crash three years ago.

Mr Jardine is now backing Joseph’s grandparents Christopher and Kathleen Wilson to campaign for traffic calming measures including a 40mph or 50mph speed limit and lighting in the area.

Joseph died in hospital three years ago next week.

His school minibus was in an accident involving a van and a car at Barburgh Mill. His five-year old brother Jamie and four girls sustained slight injuries.

Chris said: “We saw the HGV and the damage when we travelled past on a bus and could not believe it. How the vehicle missed the bus stop I do not know. And to travel along a public footpath is very worrying.

“This all happened just 3/4 mile from the accident which killed Joseph. This road is a constant reminder of his death. We have campaigned hard to get a traffic calming system into place since his death but nothing has been done and no lessons have been learnt.

“Motorists are not heeding the warnings,” he added. “I don’t want Joseph to have died in vain. Something should be done so no-one else has to go through what we have.”