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Introduction

 

One of the major concerns residents have regarding the development of Bangour Village Hospital is the additional traffic using Dechmont from nearly 1000 new homes.  

West Lothian Council (WLC) have rightly listened to these concerns and have placed the following requirement on the developers. 

 

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Dechmont Community Council (DCC) have recently carried out a traffic consultation to understand the concerns of the residents and see what additional traffic calming measures they would suggest.  Over one third of homes in Dechmont replied to this consultation. This clearly shows the concern residents have within Dechmont.  

The findings of this consultation can be found on Dechmont Community Council web site. https://www.dechmontcommunitycouncil.com under headline “Local News”. 

After carefully considering the findings of the consultation Dechmont Community Council would like to propose the following Traffic Calming Measures for Dechmont. 

 

Suggestions 

 

  1. Introduce HGV Deliveries Only/Access Only for Dechmont. 

97% of respondents to the traffic consultation agreed they would like to see restrictions on HGV using Dechmont as a rat run. The vast majority of HGV vehicles using Dechmont do not stop in the village. The A89 is clearly a more suitable road for these type of large vehicles to use.  

At no time was there any suggestion of banning HGV vehicles totally from the village contrary to recent press article.    

 

  2. Retain the current 20mph Speed Limit for the whole of Dechmont. 

92% of respondents agreed they would like to see the current 20 mph speed limit retained. Two recent speed surveys carried out by West Lothian Council within Dechmont both showed on average vehicles were travelling through Dechmont 14 mph over the current speed limit. In Edinburgh 20 mph speed limits have clearly shown they reduce the number of accidents. Why is West Lothian Council not willing to have 20mph speed limits even if residents in that area wish them? If a 30 mph is reintroduced on the Main Street there is a proposal by West Lothian Council in place before covid to make the area around the Primary School and Burnside into a permanent full time 20mph speed limit. Together with 20mph is plenty for the side roads of Dechmont it does not make sense not to have a permanent 20mph limit of the whole of Dechmont. 

Better Signage of the 20mph speed on all traffic islands on the Main Street in both directions with Interactive Speed flashing signs at both ends of the village would be required. 

 

  

  3. Additional Speed Bumps within the village 

The current speed reduction methods currently used in Dechmont have little effect in slowing down vehicles, especially vehicles entering the village from the mini roundabout. The speed cushions outside the primary school on the Main Street do not slow the traffic down since most of the traffic swerve around them to miss the high points. Traffic islands do slightly slow down larger vehicles but do not really slow down cars. Traffic islands beside bus stops do not work to slow vehicles down as a number of drivers  would appear to be more than happy to speed past the islands on the wrong side of the road instead of slowing down to pass the bus. Also with just two buses per hour in each direction they have little effect most of the time on the speed of vehicles in the village.  

The current speed cushions on the Main Street should be increased in width to speed humps across the whole width of the road. 

Additional speed tables should be located at the following junctions on the Main Street. 

1. Burnhouse Road 

2. Afton Court 

3. Knightridge Road 

4. Burnside 

These would have the additional effect of slowing down vehicles entering onto the Main Street from side roads. This is a major problem with vehicles at Burnhouse Road failing to Give Way when entering onto the main Street.  

Consideration should also be given to speed tables at the following junctions which would aid to slow down the speed of vehicles approaching the Main Street. 

1. Burnhouse Road/Burnhouse Drive 

2. Knightsridge Road/Deerhill 

3. Knightridge Road/Craiglaw 

Previously Dechmont Community Council requests for these speed cushions to be increased in width have been rejected by West Lothian Council stating that due to the bus route they could not do this, however the same bus route now includes both full width speed bumps and speed tables so they should be no problem with introducing them now. 

  

  4. Village Gateway Chicane at East end of Main Street 

Double chicane to be installed on Main Street between Burnhouse Road and the Mini roundabout as a gateway into Dechmont. This would act to slow traffic down before entering the village.  

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                                                                                    Way Forward 

Dechmont Community Council would welcome any comments people would have on these suggested traffic calming measures for Dechmont before taking then to West Lothian Council and the developers of Bangour Village for discussion.