Icy roads causing chaos in Barrhead

Rosalyn Campbell - Rosalyn Campbell • Last updated 3 Dec 2008 16:36

BARRHEAD streets - transformed into sheets of ice - were scenes of chaos yesterday as drivers lost control of their cars.

At Cummock Drive and Clyde Avenue, a thick layer of ice coated the road where cars had been abandoned by drivers.

Patrick Gallagher, of Cumnock Drive, said: 'Six cars driving down the road applied their brakes but it didn"t stop them - they just carried on.

'The road was so icy they couldn"t get any traction.

'One went through a wall, one through a hedge, and two bumped into each other.

'The wall"s a total wreck.

'When the police arrived, they slid all over the place. They couldn"t drive up the road but had to walk - it was like seeing penguins in the Arctic. They eventually managed to close off the road.

'The roads have been terribly icy since 6am. The gritters made an attempt to come up but failed. It"s still an ice-rink.'

A woman, whose parked car was hit four times by out-of-control cars, said: 'It"s amazing it"s not in a worse condition considering it was hit so many times.'

An elderly man using his walking stick and a hedge to balance his way along the street added:

'They had no control over their cars - they were just sliding everywhere.'

Local residents watched the mayhem from their windows while two girls in school uniforms went back into the warmth of their homes, unable to get to class in the icy conditions.

Mr Gallagher said: 'Most of the vehicles involved in the accidents had kids in them on their way to St Mark"s, Auchenback Primary or Auchenback Nursery.

People injured in the chaos were resting at Mr Gallagher"s house.

He said: 'It"s just bumps and jars they have, thankfully.

'Six of them were in my house. The rest of them abandoned their cars.'

A police spokesperson said there had been many accidents on the roads due to the freezing weather.

She said: 'On Cumnock Drive, there was a bump with a car - no injuries - just before 9am.

'At Blackbyres Court, there was a bump at 11 minutes past 8.

'On Blackbyres Road, a truck skidded into a car at Brownside Drive at 8.29am; no injuries.

'At Aurs Glen at five to 8, a pedestrian walking on the road was bumped - a car slid into her.

'She"s gone to the Royal Alexandra Hospital for minor injuries, just as a precaution.'

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This article appeared in Barrhead News 03 Dec 08

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