MSP concern at rural road danger

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An MSP has called for action to reduce the dangers of country road driving, after a spate of accidents in rural parts of Stirling.

Local MSP Bruce Crawford named six routes in the area where collisions happened on a regular basis.

The Scottish minister's comments came less than two weeks after Conner Hogg, 9, died following a crash on the A81.

On the same road, two others were taken to hospital after a collision near the Dumgoyne Distillery, last Wednesday.

A weekend crackdown by Central Scotland Police on the area's rural network saw 160 warnings issued for speeding.

Mr Crawford, the parliamentary business minister, said the number of recent accidents showed action needed to be taken urgently.

Safety 'priority'

The Nationalist MSP for Stirling said: "From conversations I have had with local police officers, I am aware there are specific areas of the A81, A82, A84, A85, A875 and the A811 that continue to be locations in which collisions occur on too regular a basis.

"I intend to meet with both the police and representatives of the roads department at Stirling Council to investigate if there are any measures that can be taken that further reduce the likelihood of accidents occurring."

According to the local force, seven out of ten road fatalities happen on rural routes.

Sergeant Bob Murphy, of the Central Scotland Police road policing unit, said: "Officers were deployed at the weekend right across Central Scotland's rural roads network.

"The weekend is always a busy time on our roads and our operation was a high profile reminder to road users that safety should be their top priority - not getting from A-to-B as quickly as possible."

A total of 160 warnings were issued across the force area, with a further 43 conditional offer penalties being issued and eight reports submitted to the procurator fiscal.