Abandoned cars hampering road efforts
(release issued by Tayside Police, 7th December 2010)
Tayside Police and Local Authorities are urging motorists who
abandoned their vehicles on roads throughout the area, to collect
them as soon as it is safe and possible to do so.
A number of vehicles have been abandoned in the severe weather;
some of these have not been retrieved and are causing obstructions
in some areas. These are hampering the efforts of local authorities
to clear the routes, and also in some areas preventing accumulated
rubbish being uplifted.
Tayside Police and the local authorities are trying to ensure the
roads are safe and passable. A Spokeswoman for Tayside Police
said, "We understand that some people needed to temporarily abandon
their vehicles but we now need these people to move their vehicles
as soon as is possible in order that the local authorities can
ensure the roads are properly ploughed and gritted and made safe
for all road users.
"We are asking for people's support so we can ensure the roads are
safe and as little disruption as possible is caused to
motorists.
"Abandoned cars that are sticking out too far in the street are
making snow ploughing difficult in some areas and in some cases
making ploughing impossible.
"Officers are very busy dealing with emergencies during the winter
weather and don't want to have to contact each and every owner of
abandoned vehicles to tell them they need to move them.
The emergency services and local authorities are also urging people
to be aware of risks in relation to ice. A number of ponds, lochs
and rivers in the area have frozen over with the very low
temperatures which we've been experiencing, and we would remind
people of the dangers that are associated with going onto
ice.
Whilst ice may look as though it will support the weight, we would
urge people not to venture onto ice, and ask parents to be
particularly vigilant to young people wanting to play on or in the
vicinity of iced over areas.
