Entries roll in for creative comp tackling road issues in Crossmichael

Locals from a small village outside Castle Douglas are calling for action to tackle issues with their roads, and are drawing attention to the matter through a creative solution.

Crossmichael Community Council have been running a pothole photography contest, encouraging locals to capture some of the worst hazards in and around the village, with a prize for the most entertaining image.

READ MORE: Locals come up with creative response to pothole plagued roads

But, despite the light hearted concept, there are serious motivations.

Local community councillor Jane McCarthy is driving the idea. She says the images will be compiled and sent to the council to show just how major a problem the potholes are:

“The reason that we’re doing this is to highlight the importance of safe travel for our cyclists and our motorists.

“There are multiple issues in Crossmichael, we’re a small village and a lot of our houses face onto the thoroughfare, and the volume of heavy traffic, of haulier traffic, or farm traffic - particularly between the hours of about 11pm and five or six in the morning - disturb a lot of our residents, keeping them awake.”

Locals are behind the effort

Ms McCarthy says a local survey was carried out, with several key takeaways:

“We need a 20mph limit, we need our roads resurfaced throughout the village, and we need to try and speak to companies that have the very loud large vehicles particularly throughout the night, and see if we can have conversations about how to ensure traffic is slower, particularly at night time.”

The Community Council have also been speaking with MSP Finlay Carson about possible solutions, and are hoping the pothole photography competition is just the start of seeing the issue recognised more seriously.

Final entries were submitted on Friday the 1st of August, with judging taking place on the 12th of September at a community council meeting.

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