A new traffic management system is being proposed for Hawick

The action comes less than five years after a roads system was introduced to take traffic away from the High Street.

Many locals said at the time that a one-way system used during engineering works on the new layout worked well.

Provost Zandra Elliot said leaving things as they were at present in the town was simply not an option.

"It is a great problem and it has been for the past year or so," she said.

In particular she highlighted the issue of bus stances on the High Street and large lorries coming along the route.

She said that the introduction of a one-way system might be a solution - but only if properly studied first.

'Very dangerous'

"The one-way system seemed to work a little while ago," she said.

"I would think it would still work but we have to listen to the traffic management strategy."

The honorary provost added that there had been problems with cars using nearby terraces as short-cuts when the one-way system had been used.

"That was very, very dangerous because the terraces were built in days when there were not cars to that extent," she said.

"I think it would be wrong to do a one-way system until we have everything sorted out."