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Orkney council’s Finstown traffic management U-turn – what do the councillors have to say?

Finstown traffic
Extended speed limit zones for Finstown have finally been upon.

At a recent meeting of Orkney’s full council it was decided that new measures to tackle traffic issues in Finstown should go back to committee for reconsideration.

An amendment, tabled by council convener Graham Bevan, was supported by the chairman of the development and infrastructure committee, David Dawson.

Mr Dawson said there had been “significant discussion” following the committee’s original recommendation.

However, very little else was said.

Mr Dawson and another councillor involved in the committee’s recommendation spoke about it after the meeting.

Mr Dawson said he’s “comfortable” with the decision coming back to the committee and he “sees no harm in it”.

“It’s fair to say there has been significant offline debate between members about the Finstown traffic management measures.

“There have also been other, various representations to members from the public at large about the decision.

‘Well worth considering again’

“It was felt it was well worth considering again.

“Whether or not it comes to any distinct different outcome remains to be seen.

“A lot will depend on what’s available within budgetary constraints and there might be certain legislative requirements, like traffic orders.”

Mr Dawson did admit that bringing the recommendations back and changing the measures could prolong the process.

However, he added: “But I think it’s worth having that debate again and hearing what people have to say.

“Maybe it’ll mean we come at it from a more informed angle, having had time to digest the outcome of the last committee meeting.”

He said he feels the issue in Finstown has grown in public interest since the last meeting. This, he said, has “sparked off” the question of measures being revisited.

Councillor David Dawson. Image: Andrew Stewart/DCT Media Date

He was asked for his own thoughts on the measures.

He said: “National evidence indicates that reducing speed limits in a phased approach to a built-up area does work.

“Sadly, we’re lacking evidence of any major problem in Finstown. We don’t have accident data or incident data to back up immediate measures being introduced.

“There’s a perception based on reality, if you know what I mean.

Mr Dawson said he had experienced the “claustrophobic” conditions for pedestrians in Finstown, with HGVs and buses passing by just inches away in some places.

Situation between pedestrians and traffic in Finstown is ‘claustrophobic’

However, he also spoke about the difficulties that could come with widening pavements, particularly where the council would need to ask residents to give up part of their garden to do so.

He added: “A 20mph zone with a straight road all the way through doesn’t work well. You need build-outs, chicanes, speed cushions, you name it.

“But that’s a very expensive option.

“The report we had to the committee last time indicated that to encourage the reduction in speed within the village, it’d help to reduce the speed on the approach to the village.

“That has national evidential support.

“But I can see where people are coming from in their concerns.”

However, even during the committee meeting on September 6, it was obvious not everyone was happy about the recommendations agreed upon.

Councillor Duncan Tullock spoke up about his dissatisfaction for what was being proposed, with the regard to the Finstown traffic management measures.

Not everyone was happy

He had pushed for speed limits to be dropped closer into the town and the part-time 20mph speed limit zone to be extended. But, he didn’t agree with installing 40mph zones so far out of the town itself.

However, he didn’t get any support for an amendment he lodged at September 6’s committee meeting.

Mr Tullock also spoke following the decision from full council – a decision he says he played no part in behind the scenes.

Mr Tullock said: “I actually had nothing to do with the pressure on this.

“I’ve had one or two people contact me, congratulating me for standing up against it.

“But this is more being driven from the top. There’s a lot of pressure being exerted by certain members of the public on the elected members.

Councillor Duncan Tullock. Image: Orkney Islands Council

“There’s no way I could’ve pushed for a rethink. I didn’t even get a seconder to my amendment.

“I think this has come about more from public pressure.

“I’m delighted to have the Finstown traffic management measures back to committee.

“Unfortunately, I’ll not be at the meeting it comes back to. But, this is the only thing they could have done.

“When they’re speaking about putting 40mph signs out to Davie’s Brig and away out to the houses there out to the farm, in the opposite direction.”

Mr Tullock clarified that he’ll be away on a trip during the next meeting of the Development and Infrastructure committee, scheduled for November 8.

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