FEARS have been voiced that plans designed to make it safer for children to get to and from school in Jedburgh are actually putting their lives at risk.

Community councillors heard rows of buses waiting to pick up pupils from the Grammar School were obstructing the views of other vehicles and pedestrians in the town centre.

And, with children now finishing earlier on a Friday following the introduction of the new asymmetric week, police have warned it is an accident waiting to happen.

In a report to this month’s meeting of The Royal Burgh of Jedburgh Community Council, local PC Gary Chisholm said: “We have received a number of complaints regarding the buses picking up the Grammar School children after school.

“Although this problem has been discussed on numerous occasions in the past, it seems to have worsened with the new school timetable - with Fridays being the worst.

“With the town centre and the High Street busy with cars, delivery vans and pedestrians on a Friday lunchtime, and buses being parked at their usual spot, it has been caushing chaos to the traffic flow in that area.” And he added: “I feel it will only be a matter of time before there is an accident.” Community councillors heard pupils previously walked between Jedburgh Grammar School and the town’s bus station to meet school transport but that was stopped by Scottish Borders Council after it was deemed dangerous.

However, they claim their concerns over the new arrangements have fallen on deaf ears.

Jedburgh Provost Richard Gordon said: “It is pretty horrendous because it you were coming out of the Co-op you can’t see because of all the buses. It was introduced to make things safer for children but it’s actually had the opposite effect - now it is putting everyone at risk.

“It’s certainly causing a great problem for drivers and pedestrians with the asymmetric week. It is chaotic. We have tried to raise it a few times but it has fallen on deaf ears.” The community council heard seven buses were counted queuing in the town centre at the same time. And it has invited Scottish Borders Council down to view the problem.

Community councillor Craig Marshall said: “I didn’t realise how bad it was until I went up to have a look - the traffic was snarled up, it was chaos. And, at some point, this is going to back up on to the A68 and someone’s going to get splattered.” The community council have asked to see a copy of any risk assessment which they claim would have been needed before the travel arrangements were approved. And questioned whether they took into account the changes to the school timetable.

Community councillor Kevin Hill said: “When I was at school, buses used to park in the Pleasance but it was deemed dangerous for them to reverse. Then they said it was unsafe for children to walk to the bus station.” But Provost Gordon, who chaired the meeting, added: “I don’t know why that’s deemed unsafe. If pupils are walking down to the Riverside for rugby it’s not deemed unsafe then.” Meanwhile, community councillors heard plans for a new one-way system in Jedburgh were “in abience” - because traders couldn’t decide which way they wanted it to go.