Forest hauliers' roads warning
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by David Craik • A Scottish haulier is warning colleagues who work on forestry roads to make sure they are suitable for their vehicles following a fatal accident.
Alasdair Ferguson of Spean Bridge-based Ferguson Transport issued the warning after his father was crushed under his loaded artic when it toppled down a forest road near Fort Augustus on 13 March.
Ferguson told an inquiry at Inverness Sheriff Court that the road was too narrow, too steep and the surface was inadequate to be used by HGVs, especially on a rainy day.
The Forestry Commission denied this, stating that the road in question met its safety specifications.
Ferguson is keen to see the road upgraded to be safe for hauliers and warns: "They should check whether the roads that they are working on are safe for haulage vehicles and the conditions they are working in. We must prevent another death like my father's."
The inquiry has heard two days of evidence and will reconvene in Dec ember. The Sheriff is keen to hear more evidence from engineers and is to be invited by Ferguson to visit the road himself.