20 is plenty but not in some areas
Road petition presented to council
A young resident handed in his near 5000-strong petition against the temporary speed limits to West Lothian Council.
Lorenzo Franchitti created the petition, alongside his sister, Antonia, and they presented it at the Council Executive.
The council have told The Courier that the matter will now be discussed at a future meeting.
The petition called for the removal of all 20mph limits from main roads across West Lothian.
It said the council “wasted £600,000 from the taxpayer” on the speed limits and accused them of causing “extensive frustration and delay to the people of West Lothian.”
The council introduced the measure as part of their Covid-19 Spaces for People initiative in conjunction with the Scottish Government.
Speaking to the Courier, Lorenzo said: “I spoke at the Council Executive meeting to put forward the profound concern from people across West Lothian about these 20mph limits.
“These unjustified and unwarranted changes have only managed to detriment individuals and businesses across the county, so I think people expect to see the council resolve this and to exercise a bit of common sense.
“A large proportion of roads that have been thrown into this scheme do not warrant such an unjustifiably low limit, and the council needs to be making best use of their resources to improve and support road infrastructure.”
Bathgate councillor, Charles Kennedy, said: “Excellent presentation of a petition today at Council Executive by Lorenzo Franchitti and rather disappointing that he was subjected to, what was described as, hostile questioning by the Labour administration.
“Typical of this Labour group that even with a petition against the blanket rolling out of 20mph of some 5000 people they defend a decision made in consultation with less that 500 people.
“No matter how much evidence is brought to them of the dangerous driving and anger that this blanket and very poor implementation has caused, they try and trip up a genuine attempt by a member of our community to display this and defend their policy and installation.
“This failed installation needs rectified.
“Council need to engage properly with our community and this petition needs to be seriously considered.
“That can’t happen when Labour councillors ignore the facts and try and trip up members of our community who dare to criticise their policy and installation.
“Well done to Mr Franchitti in standing up to them and for his community in such an eloquent, honest and factual manner.”
Meanwhile, Councillor Stuart Borrowman of Armadale and Blackridge says the road signs will be corrected in Blackridge after pressure from the community council.
He said: “Following a complaint by Blackridge Community Council, the council is to take action to remedy problems with speed signage on the B7066 (old A8) east of Greenrigg towards Heartlands.
“National speed limit signs will be reduced to 50mph, and 50mph repeater signs will be removed in the 40mph buffer zone.
“It’s hoped to have this work done before the trades break.”
A West Lothian Council spokesperson said that the council had received the petition from Lorenzo Franchitti and they would note its contents and refer the matter to a future meeting of the council’s Env i ronment Pol i c y Development and Scrutiny Panel. The Executive will then review the findings and take a decision on the future of this part of the Spaces for People scheme.
The petition had 4943 signatures as of the time of publication.
To view: https:// www. change.org/p/west-lothiancouncil- remove- 20mphspeed- limits- from- mainroads-across-west-lothian