A councillor has been left “utterly dismayed” as his colleagues voted to “do nothing” to tackle speeding outside an Aberdeenshire school.
Glen Reid urged the Garioch area committee to impose extra measures to keep pupils safe along School Road in Kintore.
The SNP councillor said there have been many “near misses” in recent years, and the village “cannot wait any longer” for improvements.
But the committee instead voted to instead kick the plans into the long grass.
They opted to wait and see what comes of Scottish Government plans for a blanket 20mph limit in towns across the country.
That could come into force in 2025, leaving the road outside Kintore Primary School as it is for at least another three years.
Clash over Kintore speeding concerns
Councillors at today’s meeting disregarded seven possible options to reduce speeding.
They included a permanent 20mph limit, new speed bumps, raised crossings and new junction layouts.
The matter had initially been raised in 2019, following concerns about the safety of pupils.
Today’s crunch talks were therefore more than two years in the making for Mr Reid, who has become increasingly desperate to see action taken.
Kintore speeding ‘a huge problem’
He said that analysis showed “horrendous” speeding – with a large number of motorists driving over the temporary 20mph limit.
The temporary limit is in place at the beginning and end of the school day as well as lunchtimes.
It is there to ensure motorists slow down while pupils make their way to and from Kintore Primary School.
Mr Reid pleaded with fellow his councillors to progress plans for speed bumps.
He added: “We already have a situation where it is a part-time 20mph zone for three times in the day and, for those three times, there is speeding there.
“We have a huge speeding problem here.
“We’ve had this problem for at least two-and-a-half years since we’ve been trying to do something about this.
“I don’t believe changing it to a 20mph zone or doing nothing are valid options.
“We have a history of near misses here and in all good conscience we cannot do nothing.”
Speeding problems ‘not exclusive to Kintore’
However independent councillor Lesley Berry suggested the council “keep the status quo”.
She said the road should remain as it is until the Scottish Government reveals its legislation regarding blanket 20mph limits.
She explained: “The problems exist outside every school across Aberdeenshire.
“I think Kintore are very well served with the existing traffic calming measures.
“They’ve got speeding lights, pavements, straight access roads, they’ve also got a crossing.”
Her suggestion was backed by nine votes to six.
‘Many in the community wanted safer roads’
Earlier this week, we spoke to residents on School Road who backed the moves to reduce speeding.
A dejected Mr Reid wasted little time airing his grievances online when the meeting concluded.
He said: “It has taken two-and-a-half years to get here, there have been many near misses…
“And I felt that we could not wait any longer.
“There will now be no traffic calming installed, or an early moving forward of the 20 mph zone.
“I am utterly dismayed at this as I know that many in the community wanted safer roads. Please remember who stopped this happening.”
