Eagle director points finger at “monumental blunder”
The latest closure of the M8 due to black ice is an unacceptable scenario that should have been easily avoided, according to Scotland’s leading independent courier company.
Jerry Stewart, director at Eagle Couriers, believes that new Transport Minister Keith Brown has reneged on his promise to successfully deal the adverse weather conditions following the decision to close Scotland’s main motorway this morning (Wednesday 5th January).
Mr Stewart said: “Before Christmas, the Government was saying that it would properly deal with any adverse weather conditions in order to keep the roads open. Even during the subsequent snow and ice that battered the country, they were able to successfully deploy gritters and ploughs to clear the major routes and allow motorists to complete their journeys.
“However, now that the snow has gone, the Government has clearly decided to rest on its laurels and has been caught out badly. The weather reports have been predicting freezing conditions for days, so there is absolutely no excuse for not having gritters out on the roads to tackle the ice.
“It is unacceptable to have our main motorway closed at any time, so this is a monumental blunder that should not be allowed to happen again.
“My firm makes emergency deliveries for the NHS and the Scottish Blood Transfusion Service, as well as a range of other public sector and private companies, so it’s not an option for us to stop working. On average, our fleet of vehicles uses the M8 around 2000 times every week so to have this road closed even for four hours is damaging for our business.
“Why is it that we can make provisions for snow and ice – by ensuring our drivers had safety equipment including special tyre socks, chains and shovels – but the transport authorities cannot make the necessary arrangements required to deal with black ice on the roads. It is just not good enough.”
Eagle Couriers is Scotland’s top independent courier firm with almost 30 years’ experience in the courier industry, and currently employs over 100 staff between its bases in Glasgow, Bathgate and Edinburgh.
It has a 3500-strong client base ranging from blue chip firms such as the BBC and BT, public sector organisations and sole traders.
As business-to-business experts, Eagle Couriers help other firms operate more efficiently and profitably by safely delivering on time everything from documents, medical samples and engine parts to sports footage, scripts and TV props.
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