Schoolgirl rushed to hospital after crash

Glasgow Road in Perth at 8.30pm following an accident between a car and a 13-year-old female pedestrian.

“The girl was taken to hospital for treatment for a minor injury to her elbow.”

Before it emerged that the girl had escaped serious injury, school pupils and staff from businesses, including Aviva’s headquarters, had looked on in horror as police officers closed the road.

The road closure caused some considerable congestion on surrounding roads for a brief time as motorists were diverted away from the accident.

The route was fully reopened a short time later, however, and any queues soon cleared.

One local resident questioned the lack of a school crossing patroller on the stretch of Glasgow Road, between Oakbank Road and Oakbank Place where the accident took place.

He said: “I know there used to be a lollipop man or woman near to this location but I’ve not seen one there for some time.

“I had heard the council was having trouble filling the post here – and at a couple of other locations in the city.

“If that is the case then I think it’s something they need to look at urgently.”

Asked about the deployment of school crossing patrollers, a spokeswoman for Perth and Kinross Council said: “We are aware of an accident on the Glasgow Road.

“At this time it is a matter for the police to investigate and it is not appropriate for us to comment further.”

Motorists have been urged to take additional care now that the new term has started and pupils are once again making their way to class. mmackay@thecourier.co.uk

Picture: Stuart Cowper. A closure caused congestion on surrounding roads as traffic was diverted.