A Lochaber primary school is campaigning for a permanent speed limit change for the trunk road that passes outside their school from 40mph to 20mph.
Invergarry pupils have been writing to Highland Council to ask that the speed limit on the A87 road to be lowered, with a current 20mph limit being only a part-time one.
Invergarry Primary School teacher, Mrs Cameron said: “It is very scary for them to cross the road as the cars come so fast and they worry about the lollipop person.
“So far they have written letters to Highland Council and they will be making posters and signs to put up outside the school, and they would like to do a demonstration outside the school.”
It comes amid a Highland Council review of a rollout of 2omph speed limits in the summer and autumn.
This was implemented in the council’s role as Transport Scotland’s “pilot authority” for the introduction of the new limits.
The limits were introduced before the planned Scotland-wide introduction of the new limits on “all appropriate roads in built-up areas” by 2025.
This saw plans for several 2omph limits in several Lochaber settlements, such as Fort Augustus, Kilchoan, Kyle of Lochalsh, Spean Bridge, Mallaig and Kinlochleven.
However, a Highland Council report to go in front of councillors at the Economy and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday, explains that some of the 20mph speed limits will be reverted back to 30mph limits.
The report said: “The Highland Council’s Road Safety Team assessed around 211 settlements in the Highland area using Transport Scotland’s criteria and, to date, 125 settlements have been included in the 20mph limit roll out under this TTRO.
“As the new limit is under a TTRO there has always been a recognition that several roads will return to their original 30mph speed limit.”
The Garry Crescent area of Invergarry was earmarked for 2omph limits, but no plans have been made to lower the speed limit on the Bear Scotland operated A87 road.
Invergarry pupils are hoping to hold a demonstration outside the village school on Wednesday November 29, with four of the children’s letters shared with the Lochaber Times.
One letter said: “When we walk over to the park cars are going very fast and this scares me as I can’t cross the road.”
Another pupil told the Highland Council: “I hope you can believe that cars are going a lot faster than 20mph. Fort Augustus has been made into a 2omph. When will we get this?”
“(We) would be more comfortable crossing the road. We are scared they’re always going too fast.”
Another letter by a Primary 4 pupil said: “Sometimes I feel a bit scared when I go close to the road it’s not just me, it’s my whole school too.
“People are going 40 miles an hour, which scares me and my whole class. Sometimes I feel like people are going to hit me and my class.”
While, another added: “My whole school feels very scared because everyone’s going 40 miles an hour past the school in their cars and I worry they won’t be able to stop.
“We are going to try and persuade you until you say yes to slowing the road down to 20 miles an hour.”
A Highland Council spokesperson said: “The A87 is a trunk road and therefore the letters have been passed to Bear Scotland.”
On behalf of Bear Scotland, a Traffic Scotland spokesperson said: “There is currently a part-time 20mph speed limit on the A87 at Invergarry Primary School, which is legally enforceable and drivers are required to comply with this when it is in operation.
“We will discuss the concerns raised by the children of Invergarry Primary School with Police Scotland to consider if additional measures to assist drivers with complying with the speed limit may be useful.”
“We are currently working with Highland Council to assess existing 30mph speed limits in the area for suitability for temporary 20mph speed limits. The roll out on trunk roads is underway to coincide with similar speed limits on non-trunk roads.”