Halving the speed limit on a tiny road in a Perthshire village could still lead to children being killed, it is feared.
Traffic officers at Perth and Kinross Council have discovered a single-track access road for houses in Abernyte has the national speed limit of 60 miles per hour.
They now plan to reduce the limit to 30 miles per hour, but one worried resident has said this may do more harm than good.
Worried Gerard Mcgoldrick wants to see a 10mph rule enforced on the windy B953, as there are no pavements for pedestrians. He is concerned that putting a 30mph sign on the road will lead drivers to believe that is a safe speed.
“When I heard what the council’s plans were I was flabbergasted,” he said.
“It would not be safe to drive at 30 miles per hour, I don’t even think a rally driver could do it.
“If that’s the case I think the council should do nothing at all because putting a 30 sign on that road is going to make people think it’s going to be safe to drive at that speed and it’s not.”
Gerard, who lives in Abernyte – although not in the homes served by the road – is scared pedestrians may be killed.
“The road is single track with lots of bends and there are no pavements,” he said.
“If someone did 30 miles per hour on that road and there was a child on a bike or a mum with a pram they would be dead, that’s what’s going to happen.”
A council consultation on changing the speed limit is under way but policy dictates the lowest limit the road can be given is 30mph.
Councillor Angus Forbes, convener of environment and infrastructure, said: “An Abernyte resident wrote to traffic officers earlier this month concerned that the road did not have any speed signs.
“The traffic officer investigated and realised that the road was unsigned and as it was also unlit then the national speed limit of 60mph applied, which is clearly not a suitable situation.
“The process of placing a speed restriction on this road was started and the lowest limit the council can apply in this situation is 30mph.
“Some residents tell me that 30 is still too high which is a valid point. Equally, other residents are of the view that there is no way a car could ever reach close to 30 on this road.”
Following the consultation, the issue will be debated at the council’s environment and infrastructure committee.
