Calls continue for A7 corner near Hawick to be made safer

Townsfolk believe they are being fobbed off as they raise long-standing road safety issues at the Dunk corner and say it’s high time progress was made at last.

Hawick residents, its community council and the A7 Action Group have long lobbied, so far in vain, for improvements to the trunk road at the corner south-west of Hawick.

At the community council’s meeting on Monday, councillors agreed it was time to take their complaints “right to the top”.

A decision to write to the Scottish Government about the issue was agreed unanimously as the council continues in the meantime to try to set up a public meeting with road maintenance contractor Amey and Transport Scotland.

Hawick and Denholm councillor Stuart Marshall said: “We have tried Transport Scotland, we have tried Amey, now we have to go right to the top.”

The Dunk corner has been hit by several landslips over the last 10 years, but despite fears being continually raised that surface water coming off the hill could cause an accident, there’s been little progress.

A7 Action Group founder Marjorie McCreadie told the committee she had again been in touch with Amey and been told it needs to find out what the issues are but also that designs for a new drainage system there are progressing well.

“We have been on about this issue for years,” Hawick and Hermitage councillor Davie Paterson said.

“They know full well what the issues are at the Dunk.

“We have been on at them and telling them what the problems are for 30-odd years.”

A meeting at the Dunk corner was held in December by the community council, Amey, the A7 Action Group and Police Scotland.

Despite that apparent progress, patience remains thin on the ground, with town councillors feeling they’re being pushed from pillar to post for years.

“I think it’s very frustrating indeed as the community council has been involved with this for ages and we’ve seen no progress,” Hawick and Hermitage councillor George Turnbull said.

“There have been that many surveys done. They’ve done engineering surveys, ecological surveys, traffic surveys – you name it.

“They must have the biggest folder sitting somewhere. It’s a case of getting on with it.

“They’ve been fobbing us off. They’re giving us crumbs.

“I totally agree that it’s time to take it higher. Let’s take it right to the top.”