Drive to improve road safety outside Galashiels primary school following 'near-miss involving child'
Last updated 7th Nov 2024
There's a renewed drive to improve road safety outside a primary school in Galashiels, where an 83-year-old woman died in a crash last week.
It's emerged pupils at St Peter's clocked a car being driven at six miles an hour over the speed limit - two days before the fatal smash.
But they revealed most drivers slowed down when they spotted them with the police, monitoring the traffic, on Abbotsford Road.
Last night (Wednesday), the town's Community Council heard a child was involved in a near miss with a car after falling onto the A7 in a separate incident outside the school gates.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio following the meeting in the Burgh Chambers, Scottish Borders Council leader Euan Jardine said: "Abbotsford Road is one of the busiest roads in the Borders, it's just a constant stream of traffic; and the worry is something's going to happen if nothing gets done about it.
"The council has been pro-active in meeting with the school Parent Council to look at the issues, and the pupils have had input into that too.
"There are concerns about people parking where they're not supposed to.
"We would like to encourage more people to walk to school if possible - we've got a school crossing patroller and traffic lights there.
"There are two or three ways to access St Peter's school, but you can't go through the church at the moment - the top gate's locked; so we've been working with the church to hopefully, potentially, open that."
Four other people were taken to hospital following last week's fatal crash. It's not known if speed was a factor.
But vehicles repeatedly triggered the "Slow Down/20mph" warning sign, when we visited shortly before the bell rang this morning.
Bollards, designed like giant pencils, are among the suggestions being put forward to improve road safety.
READ MORE: Woman, 83, dies following crash outside primary school in Galashiels
In a statement, St Peter's Junior Road Safety Officers said: "Usually, people speed more at night because the roads are less busy."
But they added: "Most people slowed down when they saw us holding the speed gun with our high-visibility vests on."
Meanwhile, community councillors were also told a new pedestrian crossing could be installed at the top of the footpath, which links Netherdale with the Kingsknowes estate - between Galashiels and Tweedbank.
Tommy Deans, BEAR Scotland South East Network Manager, said: “We have met, and plan to continue to meet, with elected members and Council officers to ensure active travel measures on the A6091 corridor tie in with Scottish Borders Council’s plans.
"As part of these discussions SBC representatives asked about pedestrian movements across the A6091. That is something that we will consider but there are no specific plans at present.”
For more stories from the Scottish Borders and North Northumberland, bookmark our new home page - https://hellorayo.co.uk/greatest-hits/borders/news/