EVERYBODY is ignoring the 20 miles per hour (mph) speed limit in Dunbar, according to a former councillor.

The reduced speed limit was put in place across much of the town last summer as part of an 18-month trial.

East Lothian Council will review the success of the 20mph limit at the end of 2019 before deciding if it is to become permanent.

Concerns have repeatedly been raised at community council and community and police partnership (CAPP) meetings that the speed limit is not being observed.

Jacquie Bell, secretary of the community council and a Dunbar and East Linton ward councillor from 2007 to 2012, suggested that “everybody” was ignoring the reduced speed limit.

However, Stephen Bunyan, who is also a community councillor and a former Dunbar councillor, had a different view.

He said: “I don’t think everybody is ignoring it.

“Certainly, some are not observing it but a lot of people are.”

The change in speed limit was brought in on the majority of streets to the north of the East Coast Mainline, which passes through the town.

A similar scheme was already in place in Dunbar’s Hallhill area, south of the railway line, with the exception of Kellie Road.

Police Sergeant Scott Nicolson said: “The vast majority of people abide by the speed limit – the odd one goes above the limit.”

Earlier this year, police introduced ‘pop-up’ cops as one method of tackling speeding in the town.

The life-sized cut-outs of police officers are used at various locations and Constable Gavin Ross, who is based in the town, has stressed that there will be occasions where officers are out with speed guns.

The idea of the 20mph speed limit was heavily pushed by the town’s community council.

A public exhibition and survey were carried out to check the feelings of Dunbar residents.

Herbert Coutts was among those championing the scheme and felt that it had made a difference.

He stressed there was no suggestion that it was going to ensure that each and every vehicle drove within the speed limit.

Mr Coutts said: “Where I live at the end of Queen’s Road, there are all the new houses beyond it and I have noticed people coming along Queen’s Road and observing the limit.

“When I get in front of them, they have to observe it because I drive at 20mph.

“This kind of sweeping statement [about everyone ignoring the limit] does not really stand up to scrutiny.”

The community councillor was confident that the scheme would become more and more effective as time went on.

He added: “It is done for the best of reasons – to protect life and limit injury to people but particularly youngsters and the elderly, should there be an accident involving a pedestrian.”