RESIDENTS of a Peebles street have called for action on speeding drivers.

Previous calls for traffic calming in South Parks have failed, despite being backed by Peebles councillors.

But locals claim the problem has been made worse by work on a housing development at the top of South Parks, with lorries travelling up and down the long stretch of road at high speeds.

Homeowners have raised their fears with Tweeddale ward councillors, Peebles Community Council and the police. Voluntary 20mph signs were put up by the developer Persimmon but have since been removed.

When police attended the construction site to speak with the site manager they were told the signs were taken down because residents had complained.

Lorries are making an estimated 180 trips per day on to the South Parks development. Community councillor Peter Maudsley told us: “When Permission started the development there were a number of conditions that the council agreed with them as part of the planning consent, one of which was a voluntary speed limit that they would keep to.

“In actual fact they aren’t doing that.

“They also agreed they would only work noisy hours between 8am and 5pm but they have started working 6am until 6pm.

“The 20mph signs put up by Persimmon were in theory, purely for their own people, we were quite happy to see them going up. Without other measures to assist the 20mph speed limit then really no-one was taking much notice of it, and that included a council truck the other day which went up at about 40mph in my estimate.”

He said Peebles Community Council was told that several residents had been out stopping speeding motorists and lorry drivers. “This is a big issue. I’ve had a number of people talking to me and it’s very emotive.”

He also challenged claims that the Scottish Government is no longer in favour of 20mph speed restrictions and traffic calming such as speed bumps. Peter added: “A document produced by the Scottish Government in November 2018 basically states that the Transport Government Good Practice Guide from 2016 stands, and says that decisions on 20mph speed limits are best taken at local authority level which also talks about speeds bumps.

“I am of the understanding that our councillors are fully supportive of what we are trying to do. The issue appears to be some of the executives within the council.”

Community Council chairman Les Turnbull added that it is within the gift of Scottish Borders Council to implement a speed limit and put in other forms of speed restrictions.

Mr Turnbull has now called for more police presence at South Parks and for Scottish Borders Council to formally review putting in traffic calming.

Fears are growing that it is only a matter of time before someone gets hurt, and Peebles Community Council has now issued a letter to residents who are concerned.

The letter states that speeding in South Parks has been an issue for several years and Scottish Borders Council has so far not agreed with residents that there is a problem.

Community leaders now hope to organise a meeting with council bosses and residents to find a solution.