Hansard

I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak to this motion on road safety in Falkirk. Road safety is of paramount importance and, when properly enforced, it saves lives. One of the most important factors in road safety is speed. The road safety charity Brake states that one in three fatal road crashes can be attributed to excess speed and that an average speed reduction of 1mph reduces crash frequency by 5 per cent.

Since becoming a member of the Scottish Parliament in May, I have been made aware of various community-led campaigns to improve road safety in Falkirk by reducing or enforcing speed limits. One of those campaigns is in the village of Airth and is led by Airth community council. For many years, residents have been complaining about the noise pollution and increased risk from cars, vans, lorries and even tractors ignoring the 30mph speed limit on the main street. Earlier this year, more than 100 residents took part in a survey that showed that 87 per cent of people who live in Airth backed proposals to reduce the speed limit on the main street to 20mph. Despite that support, the people of Airth are no closer to the introduction of a 20mph speed limit becoming a reality.

Reddingmuirhead and Wallacestone community council has also been leading a campaign to enforce the 30mph speed limit on Shieldhill Road. There is a school beside the road, but there is no continuous pavement on either side, so children cross the road back and forth on their walk to and from school. By itself, that is incredibly dangerous but, when we take into account data that shows that 75 per cent of the traffic on Shieldhill Road ignores the 30mph speed limit, we see how dangerous that daily walk is for the pupils of Braes high school.

In response to a letter to Falkirk Council to highlight speeding on Shieldhill Road, the council’s network co-ordinator said:

“The Road Traffic Act 1988 requires local authorities to carry out studies into accidents that occur within their areas and, in light of those studies, take such measures as appear appropriate to prevent accidents.”

The letter went on to say that there have been three personal injury accidents on the section of Shieldhill Road that is subject to a 30mph speed limit within the past 10 years, but that vehicle speed was recorded as a “possible” contributory factor in only one of those accidents. I am thankful that the recorded personal injury accidents on Shieldhill Road are relatively low, but local residents believe that the actual number of accidents is much higher.

Residents who use Shieldhill Road regularly are worried about safety on the road and are anxious that measures to enforce the speed limit will be taken only if a serious accident occurs. I share those concerns, so I ask the Minister for Transport whether the Road Traffic Act 1988 allows the police and councils to take preventative measures to enhance road safety, rather than relying simply on recorded accidents in the past 10 years.

Since I lodged the motion in Parliament, many constituents have got in touch to highlight the issue of speeding in areas across Falkirk. Talking about Kemper Avenue, one constituent said that “cars fly up there”, and described it as a “nightmare” for elderly people who are trying to cross the road. There is retirement housing in nearby Glenbrae Court, so that nightmare is being lived on a daily basis.

Another constituent emailed me to say that the

“speed of some cars going from Gartcows Road onto Windsor Road is frightening”.

There are many family homes on Windsor Road, and such speeding is increasing the anxiety of parents when children go outside to play. Reflecting on why they believe speeding is prevalent, my constituent wrote:

“I believe the main contributor to speeding is a lack of enforcement of speed limits.”

Commenting on Slamannan Road, which is another 30mph road, another constituent said:

“people seem to think it is a 40 to 50 area ... it is only a matter of time before an accident happens”.

It is clear that road safety is a concern for people throughout Falkirk. Rather than wait for serious accidents to happen, police and councils across the country should be proactive in tapping into the knowledge and understanding that local communities have about their roads. That way, we could prevent accidents rather than simply react to them.

I would like to ask the minister the following questions, which I hope he will be able to address at the end of the debate. First, what steps has the Government taken to support efforts to introduce 20mph limits in places where local residents support an introduction, such as in Airth? Secondly, what steps has the Government taken to enforce speed limits where residents have consistently voiced concerns about road safety, such as in Reddingmuirhead? Thirdly, what steps has the Government taken to ensure that the safety of pedestrians, such as schoolchildren, and cyclists is at the heart of developments to promote active travel in Falkirk? Fourthly, what steps has the Government taken to empower local residents in promoting road safety in their local communities?

People in Airth, Reddingmuirhead and throughout Falkirk are voicing their concerns loud and clear about road safety in Falkirk. It is our responsibility—as well as the job of Falkirk Council and the police—to listen to them and to act accordingly.