Pothole leaves car in ditch

Jan 29 2013 by Iain Howie, Perthshire Advertiser

A mountaineering expert is seeking damages from Perth and Kinross Council after a pothole left his partner and his car in a ditch.

David Gibson (60), who is a chief officer for the Perth-based Mountaineering Council of Scotland, emailed The PA with a photo of the crash scene and offending hole in the road.

Since the incident however, a crew has visited the unclassified road north of Longforgan which leads to Carmichael Farm, and filled in the hole.

Mr Gibson said yesterday: “My partner was driving home and skidded off the road, as a result of having to take avoiding action because of a pothole in the road.

“The pothole is seven by three feet in size and about four inches deep at the lowest point.

“If the pothole had not been there the car would not now be in the ditch because avoiding action would not have been necessary.”

He added that she had escaped unhurt.

The road is dotted with potholes and Mr Gibson says he faces having his Peugeot 306 estate car written off by insurers following the incident last Wednesday.

A Perth and Kinross Council spokesman said any claims would be dealt with by insurers and that its crews were working to patch up damaged road surfaces in the wake of the recent bad weather.