A MAN has died following a crash between a lorry and a car on a busy commuter route that caused traffic chaos for hours near Glasgow Airport.
Police Scotland said a 69-year-old man died after the accident on the eastbound A737 near the St James Interchange in Paisley.
It happened shortly before 6am and caused lengthy tailbacks as the road remained closed at the A761 Linwood junction, south of the M8, from the morning rush-hour into the afternoon.
Police said a Ford Ranger car, being driven by the 69-year-old, and an HGV lorry, being driven by a 63-year-old man, were involved in a collision.
Prosecutors are now examining the circumstances, and witnesses are being sought by police.
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: "The 69-year-old driver of the Ford died at the scene. Relatives are aware and a report will be submitted to the procurator-fiscal. The HGV driver was unhurt." The identity of the dead man has not yet been released by police.
The lorry was owned by Linwood-based logistics firm The Malcolm Group.
The firm yesterday expressed its condolences to the family of the dead motorist.
A spokesman for the company said: "An accident occurred early this morning (6am) on the A737 Linwood bypass involving an articulated lorry owned by The Malcolm Group and a light commercial vehicle. The driver of the lorry was unhurt but, sadly, the driver of the other vehicle died.
"Police are now conducting an investigation. The Malcolm Group would like to extend its sympathies to the family of the deceased driver."
Widespread disruption followed the crash, which closed the A737 at Linwood. There was stop-start traffic eastbound between the A761 junction and the M8 junction.
Diversions were put in place via the A761 Linwood Road to Paisley, to return to the A737 on the A726 at St James Interchange.
Three fire engines from Johnstone, Paisley and Renfrew community fire station attended, with crews arriving at the scene within minutes.
Firefighters used specialist hydraulic cutting equipment to free the driver trapped in his car, before working to make the scene safe.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "This was a serious incident requiring personnel from each of the emergency services to work side-by-side in order to safely release a casualty trapped within a vehicle."
The same stretch of road claimed the life of a 30-year-old man last June. He died after his car hit a lamp-post at the side of the dual carriageway.
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