Bathgate woman hit with £540 bill to reclaim car from recovery firm after M8 breakdown - despite telling police she arranged own recovery

Louise McGreevy was returning from a hospital appointment in Edinburgh when her black Vauxhall Astra engine started smoking on the M8, forcing her to pull into the hard shoulder about 1.5 miles from the Livingston junction, around lunchtime on February 12.

The 36-year-old GP receptionist said she had little choice but to walk to her mother in law’s house in Livingston to use the phone because her own mobile phone battery had died - and the nearest roadside emergency phone was not working.

She promptly notified police of the breakdown, told them she had already arranged for a vehicle recovery operator from Armadale to come and collect her car, left them three different family contact numbers - and charged up her phone. She also displays a NHS card on her windscreen with her work contact email on it.

Police said they responded to another report that day of concern for a woman seen walking on the M8 near Livingston. When officers arrived, they found a car unattended on the hard shoulder and arranged for it to be uplifted by a contracted vehicle recovery operator on safety grounds and due to poor weather conditions.

Police can order vehicles to be removed if they are a danger or obstruction to road users, parked illegally or involved in a crime.

Despite snow falling in West Lothian that week, Mrs McGreevy insisted driving conditions were good on the Friday and said: “I did everything I was supposed to as a driver and I followed the correct rules and procedures. I left the hazard lights on and the wheels were on the grass verge beside the hard shoulder.

“The recovery I arranged was already on its way to Livingston junction and he was there within the hour (of her leaving the car). He said ‘I am here but your car is not there.’ I had started walking back to the car at this point but recovery had made it before me.”

Mrs McGreevy said it took until about 4.30pm that day to find out from police that her car had been recovered by a firm called 911 Recovery.

She was also told by police the recovery team had waited by her car for 25 minutes before removing it as an “abandoned vehicle.”

Police say they made efforts to contact Mrs McGreevy but she claims no contact was made with any of the phone numbers provided.

‘Lack of communication’

Her car was taken to 911 Recovery’s premises in Loanhead and Mrs McGreevy has been told she will need to pay them £190 for uplift costs and £25 for each day it is held there. The car has now been there for 14 days, meaning a bill of £540.

The fees for vehicle recovery are set out in legislation by the Scottish Government and vary depending on the vehicle’s weight and condition.

But she will also need to fork out £150 for another firm to take her car back to a local garage, in addition to the £200 she has already paid to the vehicle recovery operator from Armadale called to the breakdown.

Mrs McGreevy continued: “I feel extremely let down by Police Scotland and the lack of communication, that’s what it boils down to. Police Scotland is responsible for this.

"They were at fault for not checking I was awaiting recovery. If they had checked, they would see recovery was on its way.”

911 Recovery was founded by police special constable Stephen Greenhorn and he is still listed as a director of the firm on Companies House.

Media reports have highlighted that he has in the past been involved in seizing cars as a police officer while also being paid to tow them away as the boss of the recovery firm.

Miss McGreevy claims she was “laughed at” when she initially spoke to someone at 911 Recovery to ask for her car back. She said she could not afford to pay the charges but needed to get her NHS card and a pair of trainers, and was told she would have to pay another £100 for that and that nothing else could be removed from the car.

She has also received a letter from 911 Recovery saying they could pursue the recovery of costs through civil court proceedings.

Mrs McGreevy understands her car will be disposed of as they are unable to auction it due to significant engine damage which makes it unroadworthy.

In order to get to work during the pandemic, she has been forced to take out finance on another car.

Mrs McGreevy added: “The attitude of 911 Recovery is disgusting.

“I am not paying to recover the car and not giving in to them when they are in the wrong.”

911 Recovery did not respond to requests for comment.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Police received a call reporting concerns about a woman seen walking on the M8 near Livingston shortly after 1pm on Friday, 12 February.

"Officers attended and found a car unattended on the hard shoulder of the motorway. Efforts were made to contact the owner without success. Accordingly, and in line with procedures, the vehicle was recovered using the Vehicle Recovery Scheme to ensure the safety of other road users and due to the weather conditions at the time.

"The fees for vehicle recovery are set out in legislation by the Scottish Government. There is an uplift fee of £190 and a daily storage fee of £25.

“After the vehicle was recovered the driver was given all the relevant information on how to get it back and the associated charges.

“If the owner wishes to make a complaint she can do so by contacting Police Scotland via the website.”

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