A WIDESPREAD 20 miles per hour (mph) speed limit scheme covering almost all of Dunbar is now in place.

Signs are being put up to highlight the new reduction in the town’s speed limit, with East Lothian Council launching an 18-month order for the change.

The scheme will apply to the section of the town north of the railway line, with major roads such as Belhaven Road also included.

All roads affected previously had 30mph speed limits.

The new order, which is an experimental order, will mirror what is already in place south of the East Coast Mainline in the Hallhill area of the town, where all the streets, with the exception of Kellie Road, are 20mph.

Herbert Coutts, from the town’s community council, has been heavily involved in moving the project forward and was pleased to see progress being made.

He said: “I am pleased about it because that is what essentially the research carried out by the community council demonstrated. There was public support for it in Dunbar and it will be good to see it going ahead and I am hopeful the outcome will be positive.”

Mr Coutts stressed that the change in speed limit would not see an end to speeding but he felt it would help improve people’s safety.

He added: “It was never thought by people supporting it that it was a magic answer to all our speeding problems but a step in the right direction and people become accustomed to going at 20mph in the town.

“Thereby the safety of pedestrians – particularly children and elderly but people of any age – will be enhanced.

“That is the hope and hopefully people will observe it.”

A spokeswoman for East Lothian Council said: “The order has been made and we are just awaiting the appropriate signage, which should be within the next month.

“The order will be for an 18-month period and is an experimental order.”

If the order is deemed a success, steps will be taken to see the 20mph speed limit become a permanent fixture.

Feedback from members of the public could also help decide whether any roads become exempt from the 20mph speed limit in the future.

Currently there are no plans for traffic calming measures, such as speed humps or chicanes, on the streets affected by the new speed limit.

The 20mph speed limit starts to the west of Edinburgh Road’s junction with Shore Road and Beveridge Row.

To the east, it comes into force as drivers make their way along the A1087.