Angus parents have hit out at a year-long delay in a fix for flashing school safety signs outside their village school.
The flashing 20 miles per hour warnings at Carmyllie Primary School have suffered a timer issue which was first reported around the time the pandemic struck.
Fed-up locals in the village of Redford have seen the signs flash at lunchtime and weekends for months, but not at the crucial start and end of the day periods when youngsters are walking to school.
One mum branded the delay “ridiculous” for a stretch of road which has already seen a dangerous driver convicted of blasting past the primary at 75 miles per hour.
Jenny Donald, whose children Kara-Lee, 7, and Aaron, 8, are at the school said: “This was first reported just before lockdown last year and since then it has been reported another two or three times.
“There is a speeding issue in the village – it’s a straight road and drivers just ignore the limit.
“The signs are working because they flash at lunchtime – when most children stay in the school anyway – and at weekends.
Parent Jenny Donald
“There are a number of children who regularly walk or bike to and from the school.
“Yet the council seem in no rush to fix the signs which might help keep our children safe.
“They have had almost a year to do this and we’re now looking at the schools getting back to normal yet they haven’t managed to sort it.”
Jenny, 45, added that both parents and the school’s head teacher have reported the fault to no avail.
“The signs are working because they flash at lunchtime – when most children stay in the school anyway – and at weekends,” she said.
“It’s crazy.
“It can only be a matter of time before someone gets injured or worse.”
Angus Council aware of issue
An Angus Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of recurring faults and issues with the flashing 20 signs at Carmyllie Primary School.
“We are seeking to refurbish our stock and will continue to maintain and repair to ensure the flashing 20 signs are working at our school sites.”
The council said they had been back at the school at the end of last week in a bid to fix the fault.
“Unfortunately, our efforts to resolve the timer issues were unsuccessful but we are seeking other options to see if we can replace the defective part,” the spokesperson added.
In May 2019, a 23-year-old Dundee man was banned from the road for 10 months and ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work after blasting past the school at speeds of up to 75 miles an hour.
He admitted driving dangerously in what was described by his solicitor during a Forfar Sheriff Court appearance as an “idiotic moment”.
