Motorcyclist is second biker in fatal collision at crossroads
By Alistair Beaton and Joanna Skailes
Published: 15/03/2010
A north-east motorcyclist, and father of a young baby, has died in a road accident just minutes from his home – almost a year to the day that another biker was killed at the same crossroads.
Newmachar man Neville Thomson died on Saturday when his Suzuki motorcycle was involved in a collision with a red Volkswagen Golf car at Kinmundy crossroads, just south of the village on the A947 Aberdeen-Banff road.
The man driving the car and his woman passenger were unhurt in accident around the 3.15pm, but the 35-year-old motorcyclist died at the scene just over a mile from his home in the village.
Neighbours said they were stunned by the death of the new dad yesterday.
“We have just heard. It’s terrible,” said one.
Another said: “It’s so sad. The couple just moved here recently and their baby is only about five months old.”
No one was at the family’s home yesterday. Neighbours said the mother and her baby were being cared for by relatives.
A year ago Kinmundy crossroads – the junction of the A947 and B979 Hatton of Fintray-Whitecairns route – was the scene of another fatal accident involving a motorcycle and a car.
On March 17 last year, 26-year-old Jonathan Sheed died after being thrown from his bike. He had moved to Oldmeldrum from East Kilbride a month before the crash and was killed minutes away from his workplace, having started a new job at Dyce days earlier.
Both motorcyclist fatalities happened within yards of the home of 86-year-old Mary Low, of Roadside Croft.
She said: “I only realised there had been another accident when I saw all the emergency services people, and a motorcycle lying in the road. The police and ambulance were there.
“Then a hearse arrived, and I said to my husband it was another death.”
Yesterday Sergeant Graham Sloan, of Grampian Police, said he could not comment on the cause of the latest collision at what local people labelled an accident blackspot.
“This young father has died within a mile of his home,” said Sgt Sloan. “Tragically it is almost a year to the day that another motorcyclist similarly lost his life at the same location.”
He urged all motorists and motorcyclists to take care, adding: “With the weather now starting to get better, motorcyclists will be returning to the roads.”
East Garioch councillor Fergus Hood, who came upon the accident scene, said: “There is no doubt that more bikers are now taking to the roads, and I would appeal to them to be vigilant. This is a tragic incident, and my thoughts are with another family facing heartbreak.”
There have been 27 fatal accidents on the road between Aberdeen and Banff road over the past five years.
Earlier this month motorist Stacey King, 19, from Macduff, and lorry driver Douglas Gray, 62, from Glass, near Huntly, died in a collision on A947 at Longmanhill.
At the start of the year lorry driver Graham Wallace from Mintlaw, died on the same stretch of road when his vehicle overturned.
The section of road near Newmachar remained closed for eight hours on Saturday to allow an investigation to be carried out. Last night inquiries were continuing. Anyone who witnessed the accident should contact police on 0845 600 5700.