A Stirling businessman says it could only be a matter of time before a driver is killed by falling debris in one of Stirling’s busiest underpasses.
Frank Taylor was driving his Porsche 911 through the Burghmuir Road tunnel last Wednesday when concrete lying on the road caused around £7000 worth of damage to the car.
However, Mr Taylor, owner of the Indigo Sun tanning salon chain, says the damage to his prized vehicle is nothing in comparison to the risk to life and limb.
He is now asking that the underpass be temporarily closed for safety measures to be put in place - and says he is now avoiding the route completely.
Mr Taylor told the Observer: “I was on my way to work at my head office in Glasgow Road and travelling towards the Craigs roundabout. I was behind a Volkswagen Polo as we went through the underpass below the railway station.
“The VW ahead kicked up a cloud of dust and concrete which then hit the front of my car causing severe damage to the front bumper/spoiler and intercooler.
“As I continued I had to swerve to avoid another piece of concrete on the road which I narrowly missed.”
On reaching his office he examined his car and noticed there was also a coolant leak which made the car unsafe to drive.
“On the face of it this just seemed like bad luck,” said Mr Taylor, “but then It was pointed out to me by my son that when it rains in Stirling the underpass leaks water suggesting the concrete came from the roof of the tunnel.
“I went down to the underpass and took some pictures of the roof. The images are scary as it looks as if the roof is slowly disintegrating. I also had dashcam footage of my journey through the underpass and the debris on the road corresponds with the holes in the roof above. Later that day the debris had been cleared up but the danger is still there.
“I believe the problem with concrete falling onto the carriageway has been happening over a long period of time. It is only a matter of time before someone is unlucky enough to be driving by when the concrete breaks off causing a fatal accident.
“The road should be closed until safety netting is put up to catch any more debris until a permanent fix is organised.
“My Porsche 911 will now be off the road for at least six weeks until parts are sourced and the damage is estimated at £7,000, but I just want to see the council taking steps to fix it before someone is really injured.
“The real problem would be if a car went through the underpass and a piece fell off and hit the car on the windscreen. Now I take the long road to the office.”
A Stirling Council spokesperson said: “The Goosecroft underpass is owned and maintained by the council, and the structure is regularly inspected by an engineer to ensure public safety. During inspections the surface is checked and any loose material is removed.
“Following this complaint, an officer from the local authority’s Bridges Team checked the underpass and found no fallen concrete but further investigations will be conducted.”
