Our comments from Cardrona Village and the Innerleithen & District Community Council are:
For the whole of Cardrona we have been obtaining signatures within the village for the following petition:
– We, the undersigned, wish to make Cardrona village a safe community for all residents especially children and elderly near the village shop and bus stop. This also applies to visiting walkers and cyclists.
A 2-year Pilot of reduced speed limits as below – and requested for the following reasons:
– 1. The new Sustrans cycle track linking Peebles and Innerleithen will run the entire length of the village. Request – 20mph throughout the village
– 2. The roundabout at the entrance to the village is a constant threat to safety due to the speed of traffic coming out of the village and from the “back road” – the B7062. Request – 20mph from A72 and B7062 into the village.
– A reduced speed limit is required along the length of the village on the B7062. There is a particularly nasty and fast bend at the site of some new building. Request – 30mph speed limit along the length of the village (instead of the current limit of 60mph).
We have obtained 186 signatures to date despite the adverse weather and expect to obtain many more as the weather improves and we can contact all residents.
For the SBC proposal:
1. There is an inconsistency in retaining the 60mph from the A72 to the east side of the bridge, then dropping to 30mph. It should be 30mph and ideally 20mph, from the A72 to avoid driver confusion, excessive road signs and to ensure a consistent speed all the way to the B7062.
2. The 30mph on the B7062 should start at the Cardrona sign on the west of the village, as the houses along this stretch have residents, and especially children, needing to walk along the road (with no pavement) to the shop, bus stop and for school buses. The 30mph should extend through to the east of the village where new houses are being built with entrances onto the B7062 plus access to the houses to the south of the B7062.
3. Additional signage is required to show that walkers, cyclists from the Shared pathway as well as residents are crossing the road. Consideration should be given to a pedestrian crossing for improved safety..
4. For an initial 2 year period there should be electronic speed indicators to encourage drivers to adhere to the new speed limits. If they show high levels of non-conformance the road police should make random speed checks.
Cardrona Village Association 