The mother of tragic toddler Harlow Edwards has broken her silence to call for tougher action to curb speeding motorists.
Four weeks after her two-year-old daughter was knocked down and killed in Coupar Angus, Sara Harlow addressed councillors on the need for a new 20mph zone.
On Wednesday, the 36-year-old fought back tears as she told officials: “Safety and saving lives should always be prioritised.”
Mrs Edwards presented Perth and Kinross Council’s enterprise and infrastructure committee with a petition of more than 1,100 signatures, demanding traffic calming measures at the town’s Larghan Park.
She was joined by her husband Steven, 39, and 18-year-old daughter Dionne who was also seriously hurt in the accident.
They were part of a delegation from Coupar Angus who attended Wednesday’s committee meeting to hear talks on a proposed 20mph limit strategy.
The paper suggests creating 20mph limits only if there are likely to be “real benefits” as a result.
Harlow Edwards.
Mrs Edwards said: “For over a decade, residents, community councillors and elected local representatives have been calling for improvements in road safety in Coupar Angus. Yet despite these repeated pleas, the council has failed to implement any real or substantive changes.”
She added: “In light of recent events, we argue that a much tougher 20mph policy, including area wide limits and additional traffic calming measures which make speeding practically impossible, are urgently required.”
Coupar Angus resident and former community councillor Michael Gallagher also address the meeting. He said the 20mph policy was “fundamentally flawed” because it did not focus on “20mph zones”, defined as speed limits with additional traffic calming measures such as speed cushions and chicanes.
The committee agreed to adopt the 20mph limit strategy with the added condition that 20mph zones could be created where appropriate.
On Thursday council road chiefs will outline their plans for Forfar Road and Queen Street at a drop-in session in Coupar Angus School.
The session, from 3-7pm, will be used to gather feedback from locals on the plans which were first raised during talks in Perth on Friday morning.
Strathmore councillor Dennis Melloy suggested a series of options to senior council officers just days after the October 13 tragedy.
“There proposals are an attempt to change divers’ behaviour as they approach or leave Coupar Angus,” he said. “They include vehicle speed activation signs at both ends of the Forfar Road.
“These are a very effective way of reminding drivers of the appropriate speed at such locations and have been used successfully throughout the country.”
The electronic signs activate when approached by a speeding vehicle.
