The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Driver blames council for car skidding on ice
ACCIDENT: Council says the road was gritted and advised motorists to drive with care
A Brechin father who narrowly avoided serious injury after his car skidded out of control on a major Angus road has accused the council of endangering his life.
Michael Rudden, 50, was travelling from Brechin to Montrose early on Saturday morning when his blue Renault Clio left the A935, slid down a large embankment and came to rest in a field.
Mr Rudden said he was on his way to collect his daughter and driving at around 50mph when his car hit ice near Balwyllo Cottages and spun off the road.
He blames the local authority for failing to grit the route properly.
The council said the road was treated the day before.
Police shut the road immediately after the accident and contacted the council, requesting workers “attend to grit” the area where the accident occurred.
Emergency services attended after a passing taxi driver stopped and pulled Mr Rudden, who had sustained minor injuries to his head and neck, to safety.
He said: “It was minus three that night. The council should have been out there. They have all the latest Met Office reports. There was no way they didn’t know it was going to be dangerous.
“The car is still there. I went past it the other day. I thought to myself I am very, very lucky.
“The kids might not have had a dad. I’m in lots of pain just now, but if the car had rolled then that would have been it.
“Someone is going to have blood on their hands if this isn’t sorted out.”
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “We were called to attend the A935 near Balwyllo Cottages at around 1.25am on Saturday 9 November after a vehicle left the road.
“The council were contacted to attend and a temporary road closure was put in place.”
Angus Council’s winter service budget has shrunk over the last five years, falling from £2,663,000 in 201516 to £2,613,000 for this winter.
There has been a year-on-year realterms cut after the budget was frozen at £2,613,000 for 2019-20.
An Angus Council spokeswoman said: “Full winter maintenance cover started in Angus on November 3. In accordance with our policy, for Friday, November 8, given the forecast weather conditions, we pre-treated the A935.
“The advice is always that despite such treatments, people should always proceed with due care and attention at all times, appropriate with the conditions.
“Budgets have reduced and are not being uplifted in line with inflation.
“This is reported annually as part of the budget process along with the impacts and further details can be found in the reports which are online.”