Councillor demands better safety for A72

Stuart Bell is incensed that the police will not back an extension of the 30mph limit on the western edge of Innerleithen to take in Caerlee Corner.

“I am not prepared to tolerate the police’s stance on this,” Councillor Bell said at a meeting of Innerleithen Community Council. “It’s fine for the police to have that view but I think it should be challenged.”

Members of the community council backed Councillor Bell and agreed to write a letter to Scottish Borders Council’s chief executive calling for an extension of the 30mph speed limit.

A proposal has already been made to impose a 50mph speed limit a little further along the A72 from the 30mph speed limit on the eastern edge of Peebles to just beyond the entrance to Glentress.

The police refusal to extend the 30mph speed limit on the western edge of Innerleithen comes because there are no access points on that stretch of the road.

But community council member Paul Faris said:: “It’s a very bad bend and we have had a lot of accidents there.

“I propose that the community council requests an extension of the 30mph limit and asks the police to justify their decision.”

Councillor Gavin Logan said: “I don’t see what problem the police have with this - they don’t really police it very much anyway.”

Mr Faris has already suggested road edges be cleaned up and brushed as there was an accumulation of grit.

“There were a lot less accidents after it was cleaned but that was 18 months ago and it needs to be done annually,” he said.

The community council is hopeful the newly-formed A72 action group will also raise the issue with SBC roads bosses.