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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Norman Silvester

Boxing Day crash that killed woman on 'rat-run' road was 'tragedy waiting to happen'

An MP will hold talks with police over an and six other people were hurt on Boxing Day.

Amy Callaghan said concerns that the stretch of road has been used as a “rat run” by motorists.

A driver hit Eleanor Ballantyne, 60, as she was walking with her family in Manse Road, Bearsden, near Glasgow.

A driver hit Eleanor Ballantyne, 60, as she was walking with her family (Daily Record)

The retired community worker died from head injuries a week later in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

A Land Rover careered into the group who were heading to a restaurant.

The 64-year-old woman who was driving the 4x4 stopped at the crash scene and spoke to police.

However, a month later no one has been charged.

SNP MP Callaghan is to meet Chief Inspector Lorna Gibson following complaints about drivers speeding on the road.

Callaghan said: “I have raised my own concerns with the council over safety on this stretch of the road and will be meeting the local police chief.

This has been an issue for some time now. People are speeding round there using it as a shortcut.

“One constituent was told that a traffic assessment had been carried out prior to the accident. I will be asking what happened with that.”

The vehicle hit the Ballantynes before colliding head-on with a parked Jaguar. Two women, aged 21 and 65, and a boy of 15 were hurt and three others suffered minor injuries in the crash.

Amy Callaghan will raise concerns with police (DAILY RECORD)

One local, who asked not to be named, said:“ We’ve been calling on the council and police to do something for years but no one ever listened. This was a tragedy waiting to happen.”

East Dunbartonshire Council’s depute chief executive, Thomas Glen, said: “We take all residents’ concerns on road safety seriously and are continuing to liaise with colleagues in Police Scotland
in relation to the investigation into this accident to determine if any actions on Manse Road are required.”

A police spokeswoman said: “Chief Inspector Gibson will be meeting MP Amy Callaghan on January 31 and a number of local issues will be discussed. Inquiries into the accident are ongoing.”

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