CALLS for police action to curb the speed of vehicles on Monktonhall Terrace in Musselburgh have been made – as a former councillor branded the road “an absolute nightmare”.

Now retired, John McNeil took to the public stage again to voice his concerns about the issue, which has also been highlighted as a local priority at a recent meeting of Musselburgh’s Community and Police Partnership (CAPP).

Speaking at a meeting of Musselburgh and Inveresk Community Council, Mr McNeil said he looked after a dog for someone three days a week and noticed the speed of vehicles as he tried to cross the road en route to and back from the Haugh.

He claimed: “[Drivers] couldn’t care less the speed at which they come up from the shops at Eskview.

“I am not talking about cars but trucks.

“You would think that because the road is so wide it is easy to get up there but it’s not. Trucks come up and they’re on the pavement.

“Monktonhall Terrace is an absolute nightmare.”

Mr McNeil said that police catching just two or three drivers breaking the 30mph speed limit would likely lessen the problem.

“They come flying up at 7.30am and later children come across the road to go into the Haugh on their way to the Grammar School,” he said.

“I don’t think they could change the limit from 30mph to 20mph because it’s a main route to the A1 and bypass, but I don’t think it would make any difference to be honest.”

PC Jeff Lowe said that concerns about speeding on Monktonhall Terrace near the golf course had been raised at a CAPP meeting.

He said he was happy to carry out patrols on the road but could not be there “24/7” due to resources.

He added: “As soon as I’m not there [the speeding] will continue.

“It’s all well saying three tickets getting issued will stop everybody but it won’t.

“There are that many different people coming in and using that route to go to Tesco.

“Word won’t spread that somebody’s got a ticket and if they don’t see a police officer they will continue to drive at speed, the same as every other road that people are speeding on.”

He stressed that the road would get “busier and busier” with the influx of new housing in the area.

Mr McNeil said: “We need to be trying to be doing something. The council has already put big traffic signs up which were put in specifically for that bad bend when you go past Monktonhall House.”

Irene Tait, chairwoman of the community council, said that traffic calming measures might help and added that the community council could arrange a meeting with council transportation officials to discuss the issue.

She asked PC Lowe to see if police from the traffic department could target the area.

Mr McNeil said: “We understand about resources but a small issue like that should be a priority for a town that has 21,000 people living in it and will have 25-26,000 in four years’ time.”