RESIDENTS of Tranent’s Steading View fear another serious road traffic accident could take place there.

In July, a lorry driver took ill at the wheel and his vehicle veered off the busy A199 Haddington Road and into the front of their houses.

No one else was injured in the incident but residents of Steading View say they feel unsafe following the crash and have also hit out at speeding motorists.

Lisa Renton, 42, told the Courier: “We need a safety barrier because all we have is a wee hedge and a small fence [protecting us from the main road] which isn’t enough.

“We know it was an accident, but what’s to say it won’t happen again?”

And she added: “The only time that people ever slowed down on that road was when the lorry crashed so they could get a peek.”

She raised concerns at a recent Tranent and Elphinstone Community Council meeting about the speed at which some cars travel when driving along the A199 outside their homes.

“The speed limit needs to be reduced before something awful happens,” she said.

“The next day [after the lorry crash] there was someone doing donuts round the roundabout. I think they found it funny because we were all out there shouting.”

Neighbour Jacqui Smith, 49, agreed, saying: “Bairns can climb through that hedge [outside our homes], I see them do it.

“The speed people come around that roundabout is ridiculous too. If someone crashes it will be terrible.”

There is currently a 40mph speed restriction on the stretch of the A199 in front of Steading View.

Another two mothers who live on the street said that it was lucky that their children were not injured in the accident when the lorry crashed.

Claire McLeod, 37, said: “If it hadn’t been for the rain, the bairns would have been out there playing.”

Katherine Hunter, 36, added: “My bairns aren’t allowed to play there because I’m so worried.

“It’s a bit of both, both the speeding and the incident with the lorry.”

There was previously a residents’ association in the area, combined with nearby Muirpark. but it was disbanded.

Lisa believes that Steading View should have one itself.

“We went to [East Lothian] Council on the Monday morning after [the crash] happened and they told us to set up a residents’ association,” she said.

“The more folk we have in agreement, the better.

“I’m waiting on the council emailing me.

Steading View is big enough to have its own residents’ association. I haven’t really thought long-term, but we want to get it up and running as soon as possible.

“The most important thing is that we get these barriers up to make us feel safe. Something has to be done.”

The aftermath of the crash is still felt in all of the family households.

Lisa said: “Now whenever I’m on the motorway, my youngest daughter shouts: ‘Mum, there’s a lorry!’ It’s awful. She refused to sleep here for two nights after it.”

“Now, I don’t allow my kids out the front anymore,” Claire added.

An East Lothian Council spokeswoman said: “The residents can start up their own TRA and if they get in touch with their local housing office at George Johnstone Centre they can get contact details for East Lothian Tenants and Residents Association.”