A CALL has been made to ensure members of the public have their say on whether a widespread 20mph speed limit in Haddington becomes a permanent fixture.
The reduced speed limit throughout the town – and others in East Lothian – was brought in last year in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Chris McEwan, chairman of Haddington and District Community Council, stressed the importance of members of the public having a say on whether the limits should remain in place.
He said: “Not everybody wanted a 20mph speed limit in Edinburgh when it was proposed. Now, it has got a 20mph speed limit with the Spaces for People initiative. Of course, it is not just East Lothian but Edinburgh and the other councils are looking at making things like that permanent.
“I’m not against a 20mph speed limit in certain places in the town, especially residential areas. But also there are blanket areas where they have covered everything in Haddington, which may or may not have required the 20mph limit.
“A consultation about that would see if people are wanting it or not.
“I can see the huge benefits of a 20mph limit in places like Seggarsdean, Somnerfield and other small areas cars use as run-throughs.”
But Mr McEwan felt that there were other areas where the reduced speed limit was not necessary.
He highlighted Dunbar Road as a potential route that might not require the lower speed limit due to the lack of pedestrian traffic compared with other areas in the town.
However, he stressed it was important that people who lived or drove through certain areas of the town had the chance to give their view.
He noted that there were areas of the town that he did not drive on a regular basis and therefore other members of the community would be better placed to add their views, while some streets which were not included in the 20mph limit, such as Whittingehame Drive, might benefit from a slower speed limit.
The community councillor said: “It is up to the tenants’ and residents’ associations, the community groups and the community themselves to be asking these things.”
Mr McEwan highlighted that some cars came with technology to set the speed they were travelling at but said the most effective way of ensuring vehicles stuck to the speed limit was through policing.
Ward councillor Craig Hoy was among those at the virtual meeting of the community council.
He said: “I would assume it requires consultation [to make it permanent].”
A spokesperson for East Lothian Council said: “The implementation of temporary 20mph limits in most of our larger towns and some villages, plus some temporary 40mph ‘buffer’ zones to support the 20mph areas, can be in place until March 2022 as part of the Scottish Government’s Spaces for People programme.
“These measures are designed to improve health and wellbeing and ensure everyone is able to move around their local area safely while keeping to physical distancing requirements as we transition through and out of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We have received positive feedback from communities to keep and extend the new lower speed limits. If there is community support to make some or all of these permanent, a report would be taken to council for consideration. If such a report was approved, a traffic regulation order would be required, which can only be done by a statutory process, which includes full public consultation.”
Article originally appeared on East Lothian Courier
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