Moray communities blighted with concerns about speeding traffic are poised to be given the chance to fund their own warning signs.
The council currently has 23 flashing road signs that are deployed across the region for short periods to address concerns in specific areas.
However, now locals will be given the chance to fund their own permanent warnings – providing they raise the £3,000 needed to buy them as well as funding installation and maintenance costs.
Speyside Glenlivet councillor Derek Ross proposed the move after describing speeding as a “huge issue” in the area.
He said: “People in Dufftown, Auchindoun, Tomintoul, Rothes and Craigellachie have all requested signage to remind drivers of the speed limit.
“You only need to look at Rothes High Street at the way some lorries thunder through. We’ve already had a near-tragedy there when one lorry went through a house.
“I really think we should err on the side of safety in these matters.”
At yesterday’s meeting of the council’s economic development and infrastructure committee transport officers explained that speed detectors set up on Tomintoul’s Main Street last year established an average speed of between 23mph and 26mph in the 30mph zone.
However, councillors stressed that the figures did not take into account the “small minority” of motorists believed to be exceeding the limit.
Council staff also suggested that concerned community members may also form a speed watch initiative, which involves passing registration numbers of offenders to police to provide driver education.
Forres councillor George Alexander said: “It may well be some communities would rather do this than spend money.”
But Mr Ross had concerns about whether locals would be able to devote enough time to the proposal.
He said: “Communities are already at their capacity taking on toilets, cutting grass and now they’re being asked to be a vigilante group checking the speed of motorists.”
The committee backed the principal of communities funding their own speed signs and requested an update on how they will be implemented.