A COUNCILLOR has called for further speeding sanctions on a stretch of road leading into Tranent.

The current speed limit on the A199, which forms the western entrance to Tranent, is 60mph, but ward councillor Kenny McLeod believes that the 30mph limit marking the start of the town should be moved further out to beyond the Jet garage on the road.

He has witnessed many “near misses” on that specific stretch of road and raised the issue at a recent Tranent and Elphinstone Community Council meeting.

After speaking to concerned resident Neil Ellis, Mr McLeod said: “There’s been a few accidents but there’s been a hell of a lot of near-misses.

“It’s happening not once or twice a week but once or twice a day. I’ve been told it wouldn’t make any difference if the sign was moved further out – I’m sorry but it would.

“There’s been a few accidents lately, as everybody knows. Again, it is ignorance to some people but this speeding will kill somebody.

“The countdown signs [to warn drivers they are approaching a 30mph area] are missing on the right-hand side, they’ve disappeared.”

The A199 has a 60mph limit despite having a junction before the Jet garage at Johnnie Cope’s Road.

Mr Ellis said: “Johnnie Cope’s Road and Birsley Brae is a well-used road.

“There are stationary cars waiting to either come in or exit Tranent. People put their foot down there.

“There’s been accidents with a taxi, a bus, a cyclist knocked off their bike, in the last few months. I was rear-ended by a motorbike myself.

“The owners of the garage are keen on getting [the speed limit] moved as well.

“All I’m looking for is that 30mph limit to be moved on to the Johnnie Cope’s Road as you’re exiting or coming into the town. That way it will encourage vehicles to slow down as they come into the town.”

Mr Ellis has taken the issue to Callum Redpath, team manager of road services for East Lothian Council.

“The response I got was harking back to East Lothian Council’s speed policy which was decided in 2010. That’s eight years ago, when Tranent was a lot less populated than it is now,” Mr Ellis said.

“One of the other points he made was ‘if it doesn’t look like a built-up area, then it shouldn’t designate a 30mph’.

“Putting in a speed limit should encourage drivers to slow down but he suggests that it won’t because it’s not perceived as a built-up area.

“I just think it’s a particularly bad stretch of road. Drivers regularly put their foot down as soon as they exit. When cars then try and turn right onto Johnnie Cope’s Road, drivers heading to the A1 can’t get by the inside.

“Somebody is going to get killed on that stretch of road and it’s very lucky that they haven’t been in the last few months.”

East Lothian Council said the road currently did not comply with requirements for a 30mph restriction.

A spokesperson said: “The council, following national guidance, has adopted a speed policy which takes into account, road usage, frontage (does the road have properties facing it), etc. This stretch of road doesn’t fit into current policy for 30mph limits.”