A Moray community group yesterday welcomed a step towards resolution of a longstanding wrangle over damage to a village war memorial.
The monument in Garmouth was wrecked by a 15-tonne lorry last October after its Lithuanian driver failed to read an “unsuitable right turn for HGVs ahead” sign.
The Garmouth and Kingston Amenities Association arranged emergency repairs to it could be used for Remembrance Sunday – but has been losing patience with the driver’s haulage company over the bill for the full restoration.
Northern Irish firm McIlvana Transport admitted liability for the damage at the time, and offered to cover the cost of the repair but has yet to pay up.
Garmouth man David Mackay warned insurers representing the company that unless action was taken to speed up the payment by 4pm yesterday, the amenities association would take the case to court.
Last night he said he was optimistic that the end was in sight.
Mr Mackay said: “We appear to finally have resolved this situation.
“Though none of the outstanding claims from last October have been settled, the process has now been escalated to the head of a loss adjustment firm in Glasgow.
“There are local businesses still awaiting payment, and six months is a long time for small firms to wait for money.
“I said if I didn’t hear anything from the firm’s insurers I would be taking legal action against McIlvana Transport, and I was later told they were looking to settle things as soon as possible.
“I’m disappointed that McIlvana Transport was so reluctant to deal with this, but we now have faith where before we had none at all.”
As well as wreaking havoc on the village war memorial’s railings and surrounding kerbs, the HGV left a trail of destruction through the village.
It hit two road signs, squashed three wheelie bins, broke a gate and shattered a garden wall.
Driver Audrius Svegzda managed to get the vehicle stuck as he tried to manoeuvre from Spey Street to High Street.
Police arrived to find the articulated lorry wedged across the tight three-way junction between a flat, a house wall and the war memorial.
Moray Council has since repositioned and enlarged the sign advising lorry drivers of the unsuitable right turn in the village.
Dungannon-based McIlvana Transport refused to comment on the developments yesterday.