Family of tragic Maybury crash victim in road safety plea

Jonny Smith's family asked that the Maybury roundabout be named after him.

Ellen McDaid’s son Jonny Smith, 29, was killed when his car burst into flames in a horror smash caused by a stolen car speeding on the wrong side of Maybury Road back in May.

Mrs McDaid and her family have now discussed with city council representatives installing central reservation barriers to separate traffic in the busy road.

Mrs McDaid said: “It was quite a fair meeting, we got to put our points across and they listened, then they put the legal points across.

Tributes were left at the Maybury Road crash site for tragic Jonny Smith. Picture: Ian Georgeson

“We learned some things are not just as easy and I think they learned we are not lying down and would like some changes done to the death-trap Maybury Road.”

Suggestions tabled at the meeting included temporary water barriers down the  middle of the road to prevent cars crossing into oncoming traffic.

The family are also thought to have asked for bushes on Maybury roundabout to be trimmed back in a bid to improve visibility for drivers.

And the prospect of naming the roundabout after Mr Smith as a permanent tribute to the groundworker was also floated.

The McDaid family will meet again with transport convener Lesley Macinnes and officials in a month for an update on the proposals.

MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “I’m really delighted city officials and councillors took the time to meet with the family. This is something on which we all need to put party politics aside and work together to ensure tragedies like Jonny’s are not allowed to happen again.

“Ellen and the rest of her family are persistent campaigners and want to see a lasting legacy as a reminder of her son and they have my full support.”

Cllr Macinnes said: “It was very helpful to meet Jonny’s family and we were grateful for the opportunity to listen to their concerns.

“It was a productive and useful meeting and the family put forward a number of suggestions for how road safety could be improved on Maybury Road.

“We will now consider these in more detail before we meet Jonny’s family again in about a month’s time.

“In terms of actions we can take more or less immediately, we have asked the locality team to cut back foliage on the roundabout and along the verges where road signs are obscured.

“We are also preparing to advertise a Traffic Regulation Order which would reduce the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph – something which was due to happen in conjunction with the new Cammo development but which we feel would be beneficial to get under way now.”

Police are still looking for the driver of the stolen Audi which caused the crash that killed Mr Smith. Anyone with information can call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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