Residents in Fairlie Main Road have complained to a lorry company after a driver was seen near the scene of last February’s horror crash site using a walkie talkie.

Margaret Symington, who has been a high profile campaigner on the issue, having appeared on Radio Clyde concerning the busy main road, contacted the lorry company A & J Nelson in relation to the issue.

She said: “My neighbour spotted a lorry driver with a walkie talkie and driving with one hand on the steering wheel while approaching no 53 Main Rd. Fairlie. It turned out to be a CB which is allowed!” Another campaigner, Caroline Briggs, who set up the Fairlie Safe Roads and Pavements page on Facebook responded: “That is terrible! I followed one the other day rattling through at over 40 miles per hour. I can’t believe the volume too. Yesterday I passed eight of them in 20 minutes.” However, when asked by the ‘News’ how she knew that C.Bs were allowed to be used on the road when mobile phones weren’t, Mrs Symington replied: “I spoke to the transport manager of lorry company A & J Nelson but that is a good point. He did agree with me it was a bit insensitive and he would speak to his men!” Eye-witness Hazel Downie said to the ‘News’ that she was shocked by the danger and insensitivity upon witnessing the incident of the lorry driver at the wheel using the communication device as it passed the spot of the tragedy. SHe said: “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. How can mobile phones be banned, yet walkie talkies are allowed? You have to ask yourself, is this what happened, which caused last year’s accident?” However, Police Scotland have confirmed that walkie talkies are indeed allowed to be used by motorists, and it is not considered to be an offence, upon being asked at a recent Fairlie Community Council meeting.

Council chairman Steve Graham was surprised, and said: “Driving with one hand, and using a walkie-talker with the other? Surely that is illogical.” Catherine Bonner, 55, died on February 14 2013 when a coal lorry smashed into a block of Victorian flats - Curneil Villas - and the local community have campaigned for improved road safety measures. Fairlie Community Council have written to Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown in a bid to get Fairlie included in a project to launch a 20mph limit trunk road in various towns and villages throughout Scotland. After Mr Brown did not respond, Cunninghame North MSP Kenneth Gibson vowed to pursue the matter on Fairlie Community Council’s behalf.