Speeding is considered an “acceptable crime” by too many drivers, according to a councillor.

Councillor Colin McGinn (pictured left) addressed members of Tranent and Elphinstone Community Council at their meeting last month to express frustration at the volume of drivers speeding through towns and villages.

Mr McGinn said: “We need a campaign to challenge speeding. Awareness needs to be put out there to challenge those who are acting irresponsibly on our roads.

“Speeding is considered the one acceptable crime by so many people, people who obey the law yet are willing to break it when they are speeding. That attitude needs to change.”

Concerns had been raised by members of the community council about speeding along Church Street and High Street in Tranent, as well as through the village of Elphinstone.

One member of the public who attended the meeting expressed her frustration at the speed of vehicles travelling through Elphinstone on a daily basis.

The community council has been granted funding from Fa’side Area Partnership for a reactive speed sign to be put in place on Church Street.

Mike Falconer, chair of the community council, said at the meeting: “What we need is data to back up our concerns. It is one thing to go to police or to the council and say ‘speeding is a problem on this street or that street’ but, without data to back that up, we get nowhere.

“This sign will collect data about the speed of cars moving past and allow us to report that back to the relevant authorities; that allows something to be done.

“We can only do so much, we can try our best and that is all. We are doing our best and the day someone gets killed because of speeding down Church Street, we can’t say we didn’t try and do something.”

It is hoped that the sign will be in place within the next few weeks.