A RESIDENT living on the A977 near Dollarbeg says it is a “miracle” no motorists have been killed on the road just outside her home.

Moyna Milne told the Advertiser that cars are being “disembowelled” on the bend between Blairingone and the Ramshorn Junction to the south.

She said there had been a number of serious crashes there recently, including a near head-on collision on New Year’s Day.

Along with her neighbours, Mrs Milne has petitioned Clackmannanshire Council to straighten the bend or lower the 60mph speed limit but the local authority said there is no likely “significant road safety problem” on the site.

They added that only one injury as a result of a crash has been reported by the police over the last five years.

Nevertheless, officials have since pledged to install roadside chevrons on the bend but insist a speed restriction would be inappropriate.

Mrs Moyne hopes the revisions will be enough to prevent further incidents in the near future.

She said: “There are crashes there all the time, in fact there has been five in the last six months or so. It’s just a miracle no-one has been killed.

“Someone went through my wall in October there and I had someone out mending the wall when another car left the road.

“Luckily he wasn’t working at the time and wasn’t injured.

“We are not talking about little dents,” she added. “Cars are being disembowelled on the road. Some are landing in fields on their roofs and being totally written off.

“I don’t think it is because people are doing more than 60mph because I have spoken with four of those drivers and they all said they have no idea why they left the road.

“I know a lot of people might say that’s what someone would tell you when they leave the road, but I really think there is an issue with the road. Maybe the surface itself or the camber.”

On New Year’s Day, one driver heading south bound lost control and swerved onto the other side of the carriageway, hitting an oncoming car in a near head-on crash.

Though no-one was hurt in the incident, police said both cars were left “extensively damaged” and had to be lifted from the scene.

Clackmannanshire Council say they monitor all roads in the county for such issues and investigated the A977 last year.

They also recently resurfaced the Ramshorn Junction, the area south of the bend where the A977 meets the B913, and placed new road markings.

A council spokesman said: “Residents who live to the north of the junction have contacted us regarding concerns about accidents in the area over the last year.

“The roads service visited the site on a number of occasions and reviewed the accident data provided by Police Scotland.

“The investigation showed that there had only been one injury accident reported by the police in the past five years, and this in itself would not indicate that there is a significant road safety problem at this site.

“The situation will continue to be monitored and reviewed. In the meantime, some additional road signage will be installed, which will include ‘chevrons’ to improve motorists understanding of the bend.

“A reduction in the speed limit at this site would not be appropriate, as the route does not meet the criteria laid out in government guidance.

“While there is some development in the area, the A977 is a primary rural route. Implementation of a lower speed limit than the environment suggests can lead to an increase in the number of accidents experienced, as motorists are more likely to undertake risky overtaking manoeuvres.”