Frustration over Spaces for People 20mph limits
Spaces for people is making it “impossible” to teach learner drivers safely and creating more dangers on town roads, instructors have claimed.
Vast stretches of West Lothian are now covered by a reduced 20mph speed limit, brought in under emergency measures as part of the response to the covid pandemic last year.
But frustration at the slow speed is causing drivers to take more risks, which driving instructors say is making it increasingly difficult to teach learner drivers safely.
And they also warned the limit made it more diffiult to teach students about gear changes - and could be adding to environmental pollution.
The concerns have prompted Bathgate’s Labour councillor Harry Cartmill to call for common sense changes to the scheme.
Councillor Cartmill said that in 10 years no subject has generated more complaints.
“Driving instructors are up in arms.
They cannot teach to the Highway Code,” he said.
One instructor, Ronnie Malcolm, said: “There have been countless occasions where I have witnessed dangerous overtakes by other drivers while my pupil has been observing the 20mph limit.
“Most of these overtakes will have necessitated the overtaking vehicle to be going significantly faster than the original 30mph limit.
“Most of these 20mph limits have actually created more dangerous situations than they have prevented.”
Mr Malcolm said fellow instructors had similar stories and faced similar dangerous situations.
And, as Mr Malcolm pointed out, the 20mph rules apply to wide sections of road such as the A89 westward from Boghall in Bathgate as equally as to the town centre, taking no account of changing conditions.
Much of the existing signage, such as flashing lights outside schools, remained in place and is actively causing confusion among experienced and learner drivers.
Another instructor pointed out: “If you drive at 20 in second gear you are over revving and create more unnecessary noxious gases - however move up to third gear and you are under revving, resulting in far more under burned emissions, rapidly leading to soot build up and the car labours badly. Hardly good for the environment.”
Problems created by the restricted zones exist across the county- not only in Bathgate.
In response to questions at the local area committee Sergeant Keith Jack said: “Speeding is recognised as one of the contributory factors in relation to road traffic accidents.
“Roads Policing officers are the ‘experts’ in relation to roads policing matters however they too are very much constrained by patrolling the main arterial road networks within West Lothian and are regularly tasked to conduct speed checks at identified accident hotspots.”
A West Lothian Council spokesperson said: “The temporary 20mph speed limits in West Lothian are in place as part of the Spaces for People programme, and will be removed in line with Scottish Government Covid-19 guidance.”