A Campbeltown resident’s four-year campaign for safer road conditions outside his home has taken a turn after a car crashed into his garden beside the A83.
Stewart Grady, who lives at Hillfoot, Auchaleek, just north of Campbeltown, with his wife Catherine and their two dogs, said the incident on Sunday October 5 – which thankfully caused no injuries – came after authorities failed to act on persistent concerns about dangerous driving.
 
Mr Grady and his family were not home at the time of the crash, but the location where the car came to rest is exactly where his dogs go at night and where his young grandsons often camp.
 
“If I had been outside with the dogs, I could have been killed,” said Mr Grady. 
 
The crash involved a single vehicle and occurred at about 10.50pm. Police Scotland confirmed a 64-year-old man has been reported to the procurator fiscal for an alleged road traffic offence in connection with the incident.
 
Since moving in four years ago, Mr Grady said he has repeatedly contacted Police Scotland, Transport Scotland and BEAR Scotland about the manner in which vehicles are driven on the A83 passing his property, which sits just 1.5m from the road.
 
His main concern is that the current 60mph national speed limit is frequently breached, especially during rush hour and late at night. 
 
He estimates some vehicles are overtaking each other at 80/85mph and upwards, with others reaching 100mph.
Mr Grady claims that his safety concerns have been continuously dismissed, saying he has been “fobbed off” by Transport Scotland and BEAR Scotland with “the usual statistics and get-out clauses”.
 
“It’s got to the stage now that someone’s going to get injured or killed before anything’s done,” he said. “Our house is right next to the road, and we are not safe. This is not the first time a car has crashed here. How many times does it need to happen before there’s action?”
 
Mr Grady escalated his complaints in July this year, following another accident near his home, warning Transport Scotland: “This traffic needs slowed here before my family, and I become a new statistic in an incident.”
 
In a response dated August 19, a Transport Scotland road safety manager outlined an “evidence-led approach” to road safety, noting the location was not flagged for urgent investigation based on personal injury collision data from the latest three full calendar years (2022-2024).
 
However, as a result of Mr Grady’s concerns, Transport Scotland has requested a seven-day speed survey to identify mean speeds and the percentage of vehicles over the speed limit, with an expected completion date for the survey of January 2026, with a final report due in March 2026.
 
Following the October 5 crash, Mr Grady emailed Transport Scotland again, but has not yet received a reply. 
When contacted by the Courier, both Transport Scotland and BEAR Scotland confirmed that action is now being taken.
 
A Transport Scotland spokesperson, who said Mr Grady is due to receive a response shortly, said: “Road safety is of paramount importance to the Scottish Government and we regularly liaise with operational partners, including Police Scotland, to discuss road safety issues.
 
“We have instructed BEAR Scotland to undertake speed surveys on the A83 between Campbeltown and Darlochan junction.”
 
A BEAR Scotland spokesperson confirmed these surveys are programmed to be undertaken in November 2025, adding that an analysis would be shared with Transport Scotland “to allow us to agree any required mitigation measures to assist with managing vehicle speeds”. 
 
The spokesperson added: “We do take concerns relating to speeding vehicles seriously and liaise regularly with Police Scotland on specific areas of concern given their responsibility for speed enforcement.”
 
A Police Scotland spokesperson said it was aware of public concerns around speeding in the Campbeltown area, adding: “Officers continue to work to address the issue through additional patrols and dealing with any offences detected.
 
“Alongside enforcement action, officers work to help educate and support motorists on safer driving through road safety hubs and working with schools.
 
“Anyone with concerns about road safety in their area can contact Police Scotland on 101.”
 
Mr Grady is now calling for a reduction to a 40mph or 50mph limit past his home and the surrounding houses, which he believes would also benefit local farms, or, at the very least, consistent enforcement of the current 60mph limit through extra police patrols or the instalment of a speed camera.
 
The results of the speed survey will determine whether any engineering measures are recommended to finally address the family’s safety concerns.
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