Pothole problem in Glasgow's Craigton Cemetery is slammed

Linda Mooney suffered an agonising tumble on the deeply rutted surface at Craigton Cemetery near Cardonald and had to be rushed to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Govan for emergency treatment.

Linda, whose vision is severely impaired by a hereditary condition that causes cataracts, glaucoma and cornea disease, suffered painful torn ligaments in her leg and says the accident has left her confidence shattered.

The 58-year-old, who is married to Labour councillor Robert Mooney, relies on a cane to get around and uses the graveyard as a quiet space to walk her retired guide dog Josh, as well as a thoroughfare to avoid congestion on Paisley Road West.

Robert and Linda Mooney (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)

Speaking exclusively to the Glasgow Times, the couple told how they are now demanding that the pathways within the cemetery are fixed to ensure the area is properly accessible for people with a disability.

Mr Mooney said: “It’s an absolute disgrace that the place has been allowed to get into such an awful state. Linda was left shaken, badly injured and bruised after tripping and falling in this massive pothole. She’s lucky she didn’t break her ankle or hit her head. It could have been so much worse, but she was still left in complete agony for weeks afterwards.

“I want the council to justify leaving the place to fall into such a poor state. Linda often goes for walks in the cemetery as it’s a quiet space to take Josh without navigating lots of people and traffic. 

"It’s appalling and needs to be dealt with immediately before someone is seriously hurt. A lot of elderly people use this area, and I don’t want to see this happen to someone else.”

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Linda, who works as a counsellor for Childline, was forced to take time off work after the fall last month.

She added: “My accident has really knocked my confidence. It’s hard enough for someone with a visual impairment to get around without having to navigate around yawning potholes. To leave the place in such a mess just isn’t good enough - I ended up injured because the place isn’t being maintained to a decent standard.

“I won't feel safe walking through there again until I know that all of the potholes have been properly repaired.”

Cllr Mooney says he went to investigate after his wife's accident and was horrified to find dozens of deep potholes and trip hazards littered around the graveyard's paths.

He described its condition as ‘utterly appalling’ and has now submitted several photographs to the council in a bid to highlight its state of disrepair.

The 66-year-old claims that despite raising the issue with Glasgow City Council weeks ago, many of the craters remain.

Mr Mooney, who is also the Labour Group's disability champion, added: “I’ve been told that the cemetery staff will continue to spot fill some of the most severe potholes, but that’s just not good enough.

“I received an email from the Parks Development and Bereavement Services saying that when more funding is in place then extensive repairs will be carried out. We can't sit back and allow people to fall and end up injured and because of financial constraints. As a council, we are responsible for making sure that people are safe to walk here.

“Linda has been left very upset by all of this. There’s clearly an issue with the condition of the infrastructure in Craigton Cemetery that needs to be dealt with right away, not kicked into the long grass until money becomes available."

We previously told how Mr Mooney, who was born with albinism which has impacted his sight, has been campaigning tirelessly for accessible and safe crossings for the visually impaired across the city.

He says it’s impossible to navigate safely across part of Sauchiehall Street due to a lack of tactile paving which would warn the visually impaired that they are about to step onto a cycle path or road.  

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He added: “Essentially people don’t feel able to get around confidently without fear of potentially serious injury. Around 85% of people with sight loss are over 65 and I’m hearing from pensioners who are too scared to leave their homes because they feel getting around parts of Glasgow has become a danger. As far as I’m concerned, all of this needs to be sorted out as a priority. 

“We also need an urgent review of junctions across the city, especially the rotating cones at lights. They are a lifeline for people who have no other way of knowing when it’s safe to cross.” 

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council added: “We are sorry to learn of the injury sustained by Mrs Mooney and we will be seeking further information from Councillor Mooney on the exact location of the incident to help ensure any repairs are properly targeted.

“We have previously undertaken considerable maintenance to the path network in Craigton Cemetery and we work with our available resources to complete any repairs on an on-going basis.”