Trial 20mph speed limit could include Castletown, community council hears
CASTLETOWN could be included in a 20mph speed limit project in the Highlands, community councillors have been told.
Thurso and northwest Caithness Highland councillor, Ron Gunn, said there is "a pretty good chance" the village may be one of the 114 sites recommended to be part of Transport Scotland’s National 20mph Implementation Strategy.
A total of 165 existing 30mph speed limits across the north were assessed as part of the initiative with just over one hundred being proposed for the trial.
Mr Gunn said a decision on which locations will be part of the scheme is expected next month. "I think there is a pretty good chance Castletown will be included in that group. I can't see why it would not be because of the size of the village and the efforts to try and make it safer," he said at last Thursday night's meeting. Mr Gunn argued that reducing the speed limit coming into the village would be beneficial.
Highland Council has agreed to traffic calming measures in the Main Street following a campaign by local women who were concerned about children crossing the busy road to get to the play park. The community council supports road safety but argued that a 20mph limit should be in place in the village to deal with the problem of speeding traffic.
However, the local authority agreed to a break-out scheme which will narrow the road beside the play park and near the junction with the Dunnet road. That will slow the traffic down in these areas, it was stated. The community council also hopes that drop-down kerbs can be installed in Main Street at the same time. It would also like drop-down kerbs in Murrayfield which runs parallel to the Main Street as it is thought traffic may use that area to bypass the break-out scheme.
As previously reported, Highland Council’s chairman of the economy and infrastructure committee, councillor Ken Gowans, speaking about the 20mph trial plan, said: "I’m delighted that following the completion of assessments set against specific criteria we are in a position to put forward a recommendation that 114 locations have 20mph speed limits.
"Having so many 20mph limits introduced simultaneously is going to bring health benefits, community benefits and safety benefits."
All costs of the roll out to the council will be fully funded by Transport Scotland. Once it has confirmed the council’s proposals, details of where the 20mph roll outs will be located will be provided on the local authority website.