A NEAR-COMMUNITY-WIDE 20 miles per hour speed limit has been introduced in East Linton.

The new experimental traffic order came into force at the end of last week and will run until the end of next year.

The scheme will see the speed limit on the majority of streets drop from 30mph to 20mph.

Entrances into East Linton now have a staggered speed limit, with the speed limit coming into the village from the west dropping from 60mph on the A199 to initially 30mph and then 20mph on Orchardfield.

Its introduction comes at the same time as a widespread 20mph limit is being considered for much of Dunbar.

Allison Cosgrove, vice-chairwoman of Dunpender Community Council, which covers East Linton, was pleased to see the lower speed limit introduced.

She said: “We have had complaints about traffic speeding for a number of years. It has been an ongoing campaign for quite some time for something to be done.”

East Lothian Council’s road services undertook an extensive consultation exercise in May last year.

The consultation exercise included a letter being sent to every property in East Linton and the proposed road traffic order was posted on the council’s consultation hub for comment.

Some pre-implementation vehicle speed surveys were carried out and further surveys will be undertaken to assess whether the speed limit is having an effect.

Further assessments during this 18-month experimentation period could include an attitude/perception survey to find out if residents feel safer.

If the order proves a success, it could then be made permanent in 2019.

Ward Councillor Norman Hampshire, who is also the local authority’s spokesman for the environment, said: “The council had been approached by Dunpender Community Council concerned about speeding within the village.

“A number of streets were proposed for a new lower limit which was then extended following a request from the community council.

“The response from local residents has been overwhelmingly supportive, with some concerns expressed about enforcement.

“As this is an experimental order running until the end of 2018, a decision will be taken on the effectiveness of the new speed limits at the end of the trial and a decision will be taken whether to make this permanent.”

Currently in Dunbar, much of the housing development in Hallhill – south of the railway line – comes under a 20mph limit.

Discussions have already taken place between the community, the council and the town’s community council about the possibility of seeing that extended to the majority of roads, excluding certain streets, north of the railway line.