The brakes have been put on Angus motorists travelling between Forfar and Kirriemuir who currently have to negotiate intermittent speed limits over a short stretch of road.
Speed limits ranging from 30 to 60 miles per hour will be replaced with a 40 miles per hour limit on the A926 from the town to the village of Padanaram.
Members of Angus Council’s communities committee agreed to the extension of the current 40mph limit which had been previously approved to run alongside the new housing development at Turfbeg.
Welcoming a report put before the committee, Forfar and District SNP councillor Lynne Devine said she had called for the change as the current system is confusing for motorists.
She said: “I am very pleased to see this coming forward.
“For those who don’t know it, when you come off a little roundabout at 30 miles per hour you come into a 40 miles per hour zone.
“If the school is going in or out you are at 20 miles per hour, then you have 60 miles per hour up to the roundabout and over the fly-over. Then it’s 60 into Paddy (Padanaram), 40 then 30.
“This will be a lot simpler and helpful for drivers.”
Backing the proposals Braden Davy, Conservative councillor for Forfar and District, said: “Moving from 40mph to 60mph to 30mph, potentially 20mph, back to 40mph constantly is more taxing, the road is short and a constant distance of 40mph would be much easier.
“It is clear this 40mph straight through would improve road safety and reduce speeding in the village.
“This is a reasonable, future proofed speed limit, the people of Padanaram want it and we Forfar councillors want it.”
Convener Mark Salmond thanked the Forfar members who raised concerns and recommended the option for an extension of the 40mph limit to Padanaram.
Other options put forward in a report compiled by Ian Cochrane, director of infrastructure, were the status quo for the 40mph speed limit previously approved to accommodate the development of 240 houses by Guild Homes Limited at Turfbeg or an extension of the 40 mph speed limit to the roundabout on the east side of the A90.
Police Scotland had been consulted and agreed it would not be appropriate to extend the 40mph speed limit to the roundabout or to Padanaram.
The report stated: “Due to the nature of the section of road in question, it is considered unlikely drivers will adhere to a reduced speed restriction as they will not see the need for it where there is little or no frontage development or side roads.”
Members went against the police recommendation and agreed the reduced speed limit to Padanaram.
