Plans unveiled to make Selkirk safer for pedestrians ahead of Center Parcs opening
Last updated 2 hours ago
New plans have been unveiled to make the centre of Selkirk safer for pedestrians.
It comes ahead of the opening of Center Parcs Scottish Borders, which is expected to attract an additional 350,000 visitors a year to the region – many of them travelling through the town on the A7.
The proposals include the installation of two new light-controlled crossings on the trunk road – one at the High Street/Tower Street junction, and the other at the Market Place/Ettrick Terrace junction; as well as an additional puffin crossing on Scott’s Place, outside the new Co-op.
If approved, the existing crossing at Market Place would be removed, along with a number of parking spaces.
But more could be created with the introduction of a new one-way system on the High Street.
The one-way systems on Kirk Wynd and The Valley would be reversed under the scheme – being put forward by roads contractor Bear Scotland and Scottish Borders Council - while Back Row could also become one-way.
Bus stops could be moved and pavements widened.
Bear’s network manager Tommy Deans said: “We have listened to the experiences of those who frequent Selkirk to shop, visit, go to school and work. A lot of work has been done to assess the feasibility as well as the pros and cons of various improvements.
“Enhancing the safety of those walking, cycling, using pushchairs or wheelchairs is the primary objective. With any changes, there will be other impacts, but it is important to keep that core aim in mind.”
The public have been asked for their views on the plans, which were unveiled at a drop-in event in the town’s Victoria Hall last night (Thursday).
Retired doctor Lindsay Neil, who has campaigned for improvements, fears installing two new sets of traffic lights on the A7 could make things WORSE for pedestrians, not better.
“What I've seen so far is that there is a proposal to put traffic lights on every corner," he told Greatest Hits Radio. “It’s just going to hold everybody up and cost money.”
When asked what he’d like to see happen, Dr Neil replied: “I think they should leave it and build a bypass. Simple.”
Other proposals include traffic calming on Bleachfield Road, the existing loading bay on Market Place to be relocated, a change to the entry and exit of the car park there, and a ban on HGVs and buses turning left from West Port onto Ettrick Terrace, at the Fleece corner.
BEAR Scotland says all feedback from the public consultation will now be considered before any decisions are made on how the project progresses.
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Mr Deans added: “Traffic signals are bound to increase some of the journey times, there’s no getting away from that."
But he added: "What we’re trying to do is make journey times reasonable, resilient, and safe; as well as safe for everybody else that’s walking about and wheeling.”
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