Moray villagers were left disappointed after the local authority refused to downgrade a speed limit – leaving them to insist that an accident needs to happen before they will take any action.
Consideration was given this week by Moray Council’s economic development committee on proposals to reduce some speed limits on unpaved roads in Garmouth to 20mph. The new limit was requested by several residents in the village and backed by local Tory councillor Douglas Ross.
However, the cost of erecting new speed limit signs estimated at around £6000 was the main reason cited by the committee to refuse the request.
A Council survey was conducted on Church Street, Spey Street, South Road, High Street Innes Road, Station Road and Church Road in the village, with transport engineer Elaine Penny saying that most vehicles stuck to 20mph on the narrow roads in any event.
That was disputed by the secretary of the village hall committee, Jessica Myers, who insisted that refusal to put up signs was a “missed opportunity” as drivers certainly did go above 20mph. She added: “There are not many pavements in the village so people have no choice but to walk in the street.
“Somethings things are the wrong way around – in the sense that the authorities wait until an accident happens before they will do something.”
However, council leader Allan Wright insisted that the cash could be better spend elsewhere: “It is £6000 which would be better spent on other projects. We have 20mph when lights are flashing around schools and that’s only right and proper, but there’s a self-imposed limit here as evidenced in the report.
“To spend money on putting up a sign – that’s all it will be.”
While Councillor Ross argued that the signs would act as a further deterrent to drivers the proposal was refused.