A DANGEROUS ‘rat run’ has been created along Inveresk Road and Dalrymple Loan as hundreds of vehicles try to avoid the congested High Street.

Local councillor Stuart Currie said motorists from new housing developments at Pinkie were using the route as a “bypass” to travel to Edinburgh which has sparked concerns from local residents.

He said: “My real fear is that a fatality is going to happen if action is not taken now.”

Mr Currie said there had been incidents and near misses, and a constituent was left heartbroken after a pet cat was recently killed on the road.

“A rat run has been created for hundreds of vehicles to avoid the High Street and the impact on my constituents is simply unacceptable,” he added.

He stressed that the roads, where Mansfield Court, a sheltered housing complex for the elderly, was situated, were also a route to school for pupils at Burgh Primary School and Musselburgh Grammar School. He highlighted that it was also a residential area.

Musselburgh councillor Mr Currie said: “It is not safe. The amount of traffic and speeds on long straight roads are a recipe for disaster. At the very least there needs to be raised tables [traffic-caliming] in this area to slow down traffic. To leave it as it is just cannot hold with my constituents.”

He has contacted officers at East Lothian Council calling for a site visit to discuss solutions to the problem.

Mr Currie said: “Hundreds of children a day walk along Inveresk Road to get to the grammar school and parents take children to the Burgh Primary.

Elderly people can take 10 minutes to cross the road because there is so much traffic. I cannot see something which ticks more boxes for traffic-calming.

“We need to start a conversation about solutions to slow down traffic.”

He said the effect of new housing was “all over” not just in the vicinity of the housing developments themselves and “millions of pounds of council tax” would be generated from new homes in the area.

Irene Tait, chairwoman of Musselburgh and Inveresk Community Council, commented: “We are aware how busy this road is - the whole of Musselburgh is busy. However, as this is on a school route, a site visit to look at what can be done can only be for the good.”

A council spokesperson said: “We are happy to work with the community and elected members to discuss this matter. We have undertaken traffic survey work within the area previously and would be able to undertake further traffic counts to look at traffic volume and speeds. This information is essential to enable us to liaise with Police Scotland to review all options and discuss the best way forward.”