20mph sign in Preston Road. Prestonpans

East Lothian Council considers Road Safety a high priority and is continually working towards reducing injury accidents throughout the County. Various approaches are used to tackle this problem, including Education, Engineering and Enforcement. In addition, the Council works with the Scottish Executive, Lothian & Borders Police and Lothian Health to meet the Government’s 2010 casualty targets.

The national targets published early in 2000 are: 

•see a 40 % drop in fatalities and serious injuries
•Halve the number of children killed or seriously injured
•Gain a 10% decline in slight injuries. 

The Council published its Road Safety Plan for the period 2003 –2006, giving guidance on its aims, objectives and initiatives. The broad range of initiatives supported by East Lothian Council vary from safer routes to schools, Junior Road Safety Officers (JRSOs) to physical traffic calming and pedestrian facilities. 

So far the Council has implemented a number of initiatives including an extensive programme of traffic calming (speed cushions) in residential area, improved pedestrian crossing facilities such as Haddington High Street, and using speed reactive signs to warn drivers of their speeds. Schemes that are soon to be complete include the installation of part time 20mph signals outside schools, and the introduction of a pedestrian crossing on Queens’s Road, Dunbar to aid crossing to the Health Centre. 

To view the East Lothian Council Road Safety Plan click here.