Man hit by car on crossing at Kirkintilloch's controversial shared space

The crossing at Cowgate where the accident occurred. This photo was taken an hour later with cars parked on pavement area.

William Currie (59) of Gallowhill Grove, Lenzie, was crossing Cowgate at M&Co when the accident happened around 2pm.

He suffered injuries to his right hip and foot and police were called out to the scene.

Speaking to the Herald, Mr Currie, who was in town with his wife Sheila at the time said: “There was a lorry stopped because it was delivering stuff. We were walking along, went to cross the road at the crossing and the next thing I knew I was hit by the car and ended up on its bonnet.

“I was lucky. I am a grown man. The situation would have been much more serious if a child had been hit. He or she could have easily been killed.”

Sheila said: “It all happened so quickly. The driver slammed on the brakes but she said she was only going at 20mph”.

William added: “I really don’t blame the driver, I blame the road layout. No one knows who has right of way.

“I’ve been driving for 30 years and I refuse to drive along Cowgate now. It is simply not safe”.

He said another consequence of the shared space was the problem of vehicles now parking on the pavement area.

William said: “Because the kerbs have been dropped it is now too easy for vehicles to park on the pavement area. This is causing an obstruction for pedestrians.

“You can’t walk safely on the pavement and you can’t walk safely on the road”.

He added: “As for the Catherine Street junction, it’s a complete death trap”.

He accused the council of “putting money before people’s lives”, saying: “We simply cannot wait a year for the safety lights to be put back at this junction.”

A police spokesperson at Kirkintilloch said this morning: “Police attended an accident around 2pm at Cowgate. There were no offences identified and an ambulance was not required.”

The Herald has contacted East Dunbartonshire Council and is awaiting its response.