Speed limits on a busy Dumfriesshire road are set to be reduced, but only by 10mph. Following a review of the country’s speed limits Transport Scotland is recommending dropping the present 60mph speed limit on the A701 at Amisfield to 50mph.
But Dumfriesshire MP David Mundell says Transport Scotland have not gone far enough. The MP, who has been backing a campaign by local residents, says he is disappointed the limit is not being dropped to 30mph.
Mr Mundell has been campaigning for lower speeds on the A701 trunk road ever since residents of the Nithsdale village raised concerns about the number of accidents there.
The local MP said: “The local community and I have genuine concerns regarding road safety and the need for speed restriction on the trunk road. There have been far too many accidents on the bends at the village and there are concerns that it is only a matter of time before there is a more serious crash.
“There are far too many vehicles coming off the road there and I have fully backed the villagers’ campaign for action. While this reduction is a start, what is really needed is a 30mph limit.”
Mr Mundell had also asked Transport Scotland to evaluate the speed limit on the A701 through Parkgate after being contacted by concerned constituents. However Transport Scotland are recommending no changes to existing limits at Parkgate.
“Given the concerns and complaints from people living around Parkgate I am disappointed that Transport Scotland have not taken this opportunity to address their fears by reducing the speed limit,” he said.
The MP added: “Many small villages in our area bestraddle main roads and there are legitimate concerns about speed limits or the lack of them. I have been contacted by residents of Parkgate who are concerned about the increasing speed of vehicles on the A701 through their village. They feel it is making right hand turns from the road through the village particularly dangerous. I appreciate Transport Scotland has a difficult balancing act between motorists’ interests on the one hand and the concerns of residents on the other, but it is important that issues such as this are taken seriously and that the options are looked into thoroughly.”