Speeding drivers urged to stick to limit in Earlston

Earlston residents are hoping new posters will encourage motorists to stick to the 30mph speed limit in force in the town.
Earlston community councillors Gill Cooper,Sheila Gibb and Disney Barlow.Earlston community councillors Gill Cooper,Sheila Gibb and Disney Barlow.
Earlston community councillors Gill Cooper,Sheila Gibb and Disney Barlow.

The town’s community council has worked with Police Scotland to stick posters saying ‘street lights mean 30 on the town’s bins and lampposts.

That move comes after the group identified road safety as one of the top priorities in the town’s new action plan.

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Earlston Community Council chairwoman Sheila Gibb said: “Because we straddle the main A68 trunk road, we have heavy volumes of traffic and speeding.

Earlston community councillors Gil Cooper,Sheila Gibb and Disney Barlow.Earlston community councillors Gil Cooper,Sheila Gibb and Disney Barlow.
Earlston community councillors Gil Cooper,Sheila Gibb and Disney Barlow.

“Traffic comes in at speed from the north, and we’ve got the A6105 bringing in fast traffic from the Berwick side to the east too.

“Throw in the narrow roads around the primary school and High Street and we have three main pinch points.

“We had a big consultation with the community a year ago and from that published our community action plan.

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“One of the three main focuses that came out of that was making Earlston an attractive, safe and welcoming place to stay, work and visit. That includes tackling speeding.”

Since last Friday, the stickers have graced wheelie bins and lampposts in Lauder Road, Thorn Street, Melrose Road and High Street.

And that’s just the start of a long-term strategy.

“We are also working with councillor David Parker to push for Traffic Scotland to review where the 30mph signs are,” Sheila added. “We want to see them moved further south, and we’re investigating a community speedwatch and using pop-up policemen too.”

The campaign, run alongside Police Scotland’s community team and camera unit’s operations, has already been successfully piloted in Stow.

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East safety camera unit manager Andy Jones added: “It is vital that motorists stick to the 30mph speed limit in built-up areas. This can be the difference between life and death if a collision occurs.

“We have already seen positive results where we have piloted this campaign and hope it is just as successful in Earlston.”

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