CONCERNS have been raised that a road linking new housing in Dunbar to West Barns desperately needs work, with the number of vehicles using it on a daily basis on the rise.

More houses are being built at Hallhill in Dunbar, with vehicles using School Brae, near Eweford Farm, before heading into West Barns.

Robert Elliott, treasurer of West Barns Community Council, raised the issue at a Dunbar and East Linton Community and Police Partnership (CAPP) meeting.

He told the Courier how an increase in vehicles travelling along School Brae in and out of West Barns meant it was getting more and more difficult for drivers.

He said: “It’s basically a single-track road.

“If the school bus is coming down and you are coming in the car, one or other has to reverse the whole way back.”

He feared there would be an accident unless something was done.

Mr Elliott added: “We have asked for passing places to be built and got a big no-no from the council.

“They said there was not enough traffic using the road but there is going to be an accident there.”

Constable Gavin Ross attends the monthly CAPP meetings and said: “The roads to the south of Belhaven and West Barns that link up towards Eweford are getting busier.

“They are attached to the west end of the housing development at Hallhill.

“These roads that come down towards the main road are very, very narrow and are in a poor condition.”

He felt there was a need to introduce passing places on the roads.

However, despite those issues, the police officer stressed that the roads were “an inconvenience rather than dangerous”.

Ward councillor Michael Veitch, the local authority’s spokesman for roads and transport, was also at the meeting, which took place in Dunbar Police Station.

He expected the roads to continue getting busier with the increase in housing at the west end of Hallhill.

Previously, East Lothian Council officials looked at the volume of traffic on the road.

Mr Veitch said: “More and more people will realise this is a more direct route through from Hallhill to West Barns and Belhaven.

“All I can suggest is we could get a second site visit.”

That is yet to be arranged, although discussions have taken place between Mr Veitch and the local authority’s transportation department.

A spokeswoman for the local authority said: “With regard to the condition of the road, all carriageways are inspected as part of the council’s needs assessment policy, whereby individual locations are assessed and rated for comparison against other locations in East Lothian.

“This is done so that the limited funding we have available is targeted where the need is greatest.

“The inspection and needs assessment of this road has now concluded.

“A traffic count has also been undertaken and the levels of traffic were very low, which was consistent with a road of this class, thus any major improvement works would be difficult to justify at this time and we currently have no plans in place to install any passing places.”