Bin lorry '˜failed to stop' after hitting parked car

Christopher Woods and his damaged car. Picture: Lesley Martin

Onlookers said the driver raked along the full length of the car as it turned down Summerfield Place, near Leith Links, against the flow of traffic and then carried on without stopping.

Christopher Wood, 28, estimated that the collision had caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to his lovingly restored limited edition Mk3 Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Police, insurers and council officials are now investigating after a witness left a note on the car windscreen  letting Mr Wood know what had happened.

But more than a month after the accident at 6.20pm on December 7, he is yet to receive an explanation, apology or any compensation from the city council.

He added: “To me it’s a very clear-cut thing. Their lorry driver is in the wrong and the council should be getting it sorted without causing me a huge amount of hassle.

“They [council officials] are hiding behind bureaucracy. I have heard excuse after excuse. I work in a kitchen and if I mess something up I apologise, but I have had no apology. In fact, I have had nothing at all.”

Mr Wood said he had taken it upon himself to contact council officials rather than go through his insurance company because he wanted to give them the opportunity to apologise and get the damage fixed.

He added: “They have had enough time. It doesn’t take a minute to get a statement from a driver and report it to the police and an insurance company.”

Mr Wood, who was working at nearby Bijou Bistro when his car was hit, would not have discovered what had caused the damage if a taxi driver hadn’t seen the collision.

Cabbie Alistair McPherson saw the car “shudder” as the bin lorry scraped its side.

He said: “He was coming out of Summerfield Place the wrong way. I noticed he had run along the side of the car and so did my passenger.

“The car was moving and shuddering. I don’t think he saw what he had done. He just kept going and turned off along Hermitage Place.”

The 18-year-old car belonged to Mr Wood’s father and he estimated that he had spent about £2500 restoring the VW.

He had parked it not far from a pedestrian crossing while he went to work.

A police spokeswoman  confirmed that they were looking into the incident though no-one has been reported to the procurator fiscal at this stage.

A council spokeswoman said that a claim has been received and was being investigated.

It is understood that the driver will be interviewed and CCTV footage from the vehicle reviewed.

[email protected]