Blairlogie gets speed cut after long battle
‘Flurry of petitions’warning as 30mph agreed
A flurry of bids to slash speed limits could be sparked from communities across Stirling after councillors backed plans to proceed with a 30mph through Blairlogie.
Stirling Council’s environment and housing committee voted last Thursday to go ahead with an option to reduce the limit on the A91 through the village and upgrade footways, lighting and traffic measures.
While a 12-week Traffic Regulation Order consultation process will still be required, the meeting heard the consultation process with villagers - the majority of whom had backed the plans - had already exceeded the norm.
During that period locations for proposed traffic islands will be trialled, with minor adjustments being made if needed.
The villagers’ battle for the change began some years ago and a petition was lodged with the committee last year sparking a series of discussions, with the council’s finance committee then agreeing to allow £120,000 unspent cash from this year’s capital budget to be set aside for the project.
Councillors acknowledged the move was likely to pique interest from other areas concerned about speeding motorists through their own communities.
Bannockburn SNP councillor Alasdair Macpherson said: “I have concerns. This is a £120,000 spend on the back of a petition. Communities such as Throsk, which has speeds of 50mph and 40mph, have tried for years to get their speed limit reduced.
“Approve this today and we will get a flurry of petitions coming forward. How are we going to fund that and where is the criteria? We could be setting a dangerous precedent that is difficult to resist.”
Committee chair SNP councillor Jim Thomson said, however: “I take that point entirely but it’s gone through a valid petition process. We made a judgement that there was a need to do something here.”
Roads officer Carlyn Fraser added: “The speeding policy was reviewed fairly recently and within that policy we have to meet national criteria so designs were put forward [for Blairlogie] that were in line with that criteria.”
Tory councillor Neil Benny said he appreciated “it needs to look like a 30 to be a 30” but that other areas were worthy of consideration.
He added: “These are problems that require solutions and we should be trying to find solutions rather than excuses why we can’t. I do not feel we are being particularly positive when people come to us about speeding problems.”
A spokesperson for Logie Community Council said later: “Logie Community Council is pleased Stirling Council acknowledges the seriousness of the speeding issue in Blairlogie and welcomes this decision to address it.”
Blairlogie resident Ken Todd, who first instigated the petition, said: “It’s taken five years to put together and the community has been given every opportunity for all their points to be reviewed and it’s been good.
“This will enhance the village by reducing speed, and also pollution. It should be beneficial for all.
“The council have obviously recognised that there’s a big issue with speeding in Blairlogie and other villages and if there was the same standard as this petition other people can get this for their villages.”