Minute’s silence held at bin lorry crash fatal accident inquiry

And a video of the route from Mr Clarke’s viewpoint has also been commissioned which will be shown to the court.

Sheriff John Beckett QC is to oversee the FAI, which aims to determine the cause of the crash and establish what lessons, if any, can be learned.

It will examine the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and look into Mr Clarke’s medical background, his fitness to hold a licence, his training and employment record.

Jack Sweeney, 68, who worked at the Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS) at RNAD Coulport, died along with his wife Lorraine, 69 and their 18-year-old granddaughter Erin McQuade, all from Dumbarton.

Stephenie Tait, 29, and Jacqueline Morton, 51, both from Glasgow, and Gillian Ewing, 52, from Edinburgh, were also killed when the truck mounted the pavement before crashing into the side of the Millennium Hotel.

It is understood lawyers are likely to question Glasgow City Council bosses on why there was no emergency brake within the rear of the vehicle which could have enabled other crew to bring it to an immediate stop.

David Wilson, who is a partner at law firm Digby Brown, said: “It will be extremely difficult emotionally for everyone involved – for all the victims’ families and for the driver and his family”.

The solicitor general, who is Scotland’s second most senior law officer, said the inquiry would examine three main areas.

The families of all those killed will be represented at the inquiry.

Earlier this year, Harry Clarke – the experienced driver of the Glasgow City Council lorry – revealed he had fallen unconscious at the wheel and could not remember the crash.

“Both those affected by the crash and the wider community in Glasgow will be hoping that the FAI provides vital information regarding the crash and that any such detail will be key to ensuring that steps can be taken to prevent such an incident from ever happening again”.

The inquiry, which is expected to last for at least a month, will also look at whether it was appropriate for the lorry to drive the city centre route in the mid-afternoon during the pre-Christmas period.