Five killed after road crashes across the country

Five people have died amid a number of road crashes across Scotland over the weekend.

Three motorcyclists are among those killed, with a 64-year-old man the latest victim following a crash between his Honda bike and a silver Vauxhall Vivaro van on the A82 between Ardlui and Tarbet, Argyll and Bute, at about midday on Monday.

The biker was airlifted to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow but was pronounced dead on arrival. The 33-year-old driver of the van was not injured.

On Sunday, emergency services were called to Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders where a Triumph Thruxton travelling north on the A68 collided with an Audi A6 travelling south.

A second motorcycle travelling north then crashed with the car while trying to avoid the collision.

The 53-year-old man on the first motorbike suffered serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 45-year-old man on the second motorcycle sustained serious, non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to Borders General Hospital, Melrose, by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Another crash in the Scottish Borders on Saturday near Hawick saw an orange KTM motorcycle collide with a parked blue Kia Sportage.

It had been travelling east on Eildon Road at around 5.15pm when the incident happened.

The 30-year-old biker was taken to Borders General Hospital with serious injuries, where he died.

Constable Peter Scott, from the road policing unit in Dalkeith, Midlothian, said: “This incident has tragically resulted in the death of a man and our sympathies are with his family at this difficult time.''

Meanwhile, Police Scotland has named a man who died in a crash on the A75 near Creetown in Dumfries and Galloway.

Alan Neill, from Northern Ireland, was involved in a three-vehicle crash at about 2.45am on Saturday.

The 70-year-old's Ford Ranger pick-up and a silver Suzuki Swift were in a collision with a Scania lorry on the A75 near to the Castle Cary Holiday Park.

A 43-year-old woman who had been driving the car was taken by air ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow with serious back injuries.

Officers have also named a 50-year-old woman who died in a crash on the A77 near Ballantrae, South Ayrshire, on Saturday.

Trisha McIlwraith from the Carrick area was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police Scotland is also appealing for information over a serious collision in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh on Friday.

The incident took place in Gorgie Road, near the junction with Balgreen Road, at around 8.20pm.

It involved a silver Hyundai i40 private hire taxi and a red Triumph motorbike.

The 53-year-old biker was taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary with serious, but not life-threatening, injuries.

He was also arrested in connection with alleged drink-driving and inquiries are ongoing.

Constable Debra Cowie, of Edinburgh's road policing unit, said: “I want to thank the witnesses who offered support to the biker at the scene and for their co-operation with officers.

“We're now urging anyone who may have witnessed this collision and has not yet spoken to us, or anyone who has information which may be relevant, to get in touch.'