INNERLEITHEN may gain another spoke in its network of cycle lanes.

Councillor Robin Tatler told the town’s community council last week that a Scottish Borders Council (SBC) officer had suggested some measures for the B709 Leithen Road.

And they include a new cycle lane as part of efforts to slow traffic down.

Mr Tatler said: “She is suggesting a section (of cycle lane) as you come into (town) where the (speed limit) goes from 30mph down to 20mph, that would be the most sensible place.

“What she is suggesting that will hopefully slow down traffic.”

He added that there was also a suggestion to mark the road with “dragon’s teeth” to highlight the change of speed restriction.

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Mr Tatler said: “The bottom line on all of this is we can’t stop people speeding, people will still speed, there has to be a message sent out to people: ‘When you come into a town you slow down’.”

Speaking about the advisory cycle lanes, Hedley Phillips said: “If this is what they are suggesting let’s grab it with both hands and run with it.

“The dragon’s teeth at the entrance give you a visual and mental narrowing of the road.”

He added that the cycle lanes would be great as there are many cyclists going up and down this road.

Mr Phillips said that if there are to be markings which imply there is a cycle lane perhaps the road could be fixed in that area as there are potholes and the edging is not distinct.

Community council minutes secretary Jackie Couchman said that she would endorse the plan for improvements, because when Kirklands was built, an extra strip of Tarmac was laid but not integrated with the rest of the road surface.

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Ms Couchman said: “If you point cyclists to that you have to make it cyclable.”

In reply to a suggestion that the cycle lane might encourage cyclists to ride in single file, it was pointed out that recent changes to the Highway Code states: ‘Where they can and where it is safe to do so that cyclists do ride two abreast’.

Mr Tatler added: “I cycle two abreast, unless the road is too narrow for a car to get past I know that it does raise heckles among some motorists.”

It was stated that the centre line would be removed and the two cycle lanes marked either side.

Mr Phillips asked if there could be additional signage to go underneath the 30mph roundels to state: ‘Thank you for driving slowly’.

The meeting was told that Walkerburn had created their own sign and perhaps the community council could look at producing some signage.

A member of the public, Helen Fryer, said that the width of the road is narrow.

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She added: “Where would the cars go if there were cyclists in the lanes?

“It would only leave the width of one car in the middle of the road.”

Mr Tatler added that the cycle lanes are advisory.

The SBC officer also responded to an issue the community council raised about the electronic sign which seems not to show anything when a vehicle’s speed is far in excess of the 20mph limit.

Mr Tatler said: “It should actually flash: ‘Slow Down’.”

Mr Phillips said he had noticed that at one point the sign did not appear to flash the message but that it is working again.