Strachur school crossing safety issues still on the table five years on

However, Argyll and Bute Council confirmed this week that a new traffic management scheme has been designed.

A scheme to manage speed limits near the school has been delayed because Argyll and Bute Council has been unable to recruit a key post for the project.

The revelation was made at a council meeting on Tuesday March 4 after a councillor questioned what progress was being made to introduce an earlier 40mph speed limit on the A815 at Strachur.

Council project manager Mark Calder told the meeting of the Bute and Cowal area committee: “We are looking at countdown markers as part of funding from the Scottish Government’s road safety fund.

“But we have had difficulty replacing the traffic officer. We have advertised the post several times and the latest round of recruitment was unsuccessful. That is key to taking these schemes forward.

“We are trying to cover across the rest of the team. I know that a scheme is being worked on for Strachur and we are trying to progress it.”

Mr Calder’s revelation came in response to a question raised by Cowal councillor William Sinclair concerning the speed limit.

““In Strachur this has been ongoing for a substantial amount of time. I understand we are submitting a traffic regulation order at the school crossing to adjust where the 40mph speed limit starts,” Councillor Sinclair said.

“But from what I understand, all the technical stuff has been drawn out and approved and we are looking at when the Cowal engineering works will start.

“That goes for the A818 coming into Sandbank, and there were things planned for that, but nothing seems to have happened.”

Mr Calder’s explanation prompted surprise among Strachur residents who have been pressing for increased safety measures since 2019.

Strachur and District Community Council secretary Iain Wilkie told the Advertiser: “The traffic regulation order proposal was advertised for consultation last Friday; it’s news to me that the work hadn’t progressed because Argyll and Bute Council couldn’t recruit a traffic officer.”

Mr Wilkie explained that road safety concerns in the village include more than the speed limit changes that they are pressing for, and highlighted issues with traffic signals, the pavement and the lack of a crossing patroller.

“There has been no school crossing patroller at this school crossing since 2019, when the then patroller retired,” he said.

“Argyll and Bute Council tried repeatedly to recruit a replacement, but there were no applicants. Eventually, in February 2023, the council adopted the policy of not filling long-term (over a year) vacant posts for school crossing patrollers.