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Police will not routinely enforce new 20mph limits

News imageGetty Images A 20mph road sign with trees in the backgroundGetty Images
The 20mph limits are being introduced in south-west Scotland on a temporary basis

Police will not routinely enforce new 20mph limits being put in place on trunk roads across south-west Scotland.

Temporary measures have already come into force on the A75 at Springholm, A77 at Cairnryan and the A701 at Locharbriggs and Heathhall.

Limits will follow later this month on the A75 and A77 at Stranraer and the A75 at Crocketford.

Ch Supt Steven Meikle told councillors that in the main such measures had to be "self-enforcing" although police would consider taking action if there was a "pattern of complaints" or concerns over collision statistics.

The limits will be in place for up to 18 months and their impact will be monitored before a decision is made on whether to make them permanent.

It is part of a wider initiative - by Transport Scotland working with Dumfries and Galloway Council - to make roads safer for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.

However, councillor Iain Howie told Dumfries and Galloway Council's police, fire and rescue sub committee there were concerns about the enforcement of 20mph limits in urban areas.

He asked how the new restrictions in the likes of Springholm and Crocketford would be handled.

Ch Supt Meikle said there were no plans to carry out speed checks on a regular basis due to the resources required.

"It is the general position of Police Scotland that we do not have the capacity to routinely enforce 20mph limit speed zones," he said.

"If local authorities decide to implement them they should in the main be self-enforcing through the implementation of other traffic-calming measures.

"However, should we receive a pattern of complaints, or road collision statistics provide information that a particular area is a cause for concern, we will undertake speed enforcement measures in that area."

News imageA lorry approaches the village of Crocketford which has a sign asking people to "please drive carefully" and a 30mph speed limit above it
A stretch of the A75 at Crocketford will have its limit reduced to 20mph

Transport Scotland has said that 20mph limits significantly lower the risk of serious injury in collisions.

It has said vehicle speeds will be regularly monitored throughout the trial to assess the effectiveness of the limits.