Fears for pupil safety on Bearsden danger road
FEARS for the safety of school pupils on busy Bearsden roads have sparked a call from residents for the speedy introduction of traffic restrictions.
The Boclair area houses both Killermont Primary School and Boclair Academy and parents and residents have long been campaigning for car-calming measures on the "rat run" Rannoch Drive and Boclair Road — a popular short cut route for HGV drivers.
In March of this year the Herald reported that depute leader Councillor Billy Hendry, as East Dunbartonshire Council (EDC) representative on the West of Scotland Road Safety forum, had welcomed a new Twenty's Plenty speed campaign saying: "The message of the 20mph campaign is that 20mph really is the maximum speed in residential areas and outside schools."
His comments were music to the ears of residents and parents who quickly contacted him and got up a petition repeating the call for speed calming measures.
However, it has recently been announced that money is to be spent on installing speed calming measures in the residential Chapelton area of Bearsden — where there are no schools — and this has incencsed campaigners.
A spokesman for EDC said: "The Chapelton area is ranked high by the council in terms of the necessity for traffic management. Neither Killermont Primary nor Boclair Academy sit on busy main roads. Killermont sits in a cul-de-sac and Boclair Academy experiences no through-traffic."
Irene Young, spokesperson for Boclair, Kessington and Killermont residents responded: "Yes, the primary school is in a cul-de-sac but the children can't parachute in — they have to navigate the busy Boclair Road or Rannoch Drive to get there.
"HGV vehicles have been recorded regularly doing speeds of 45mph.
"Rannoch Drive is used as a rat run and we have been campaigning here for speed restrictions for over 30 years.
"It beggars belief that the council's "machine" thinks Chapelton is more needy of traffic calming when it's all residential, while this area serves two schools. What possible criterion are they using?"
There was good news for the campaigners this week when Councillor Hendry said he would get together with the three Bearsden councillors and roads officials and have the Boclair area re-assessed in the light of the concerns raised.
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Weather for Milngavie
Tuesday 07 February 2012
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