Published: Sunday, 28th March, 2010 10:39am

Police drive to curb accidents in Melrose

by Ally McGilvray

Comments (2) | Print | Email

MUMS in Melrose are driving cops round the bend by using handheld mobile phones behind the wheel while dropping their children off at school - next door to the local police station.

The revelation emerged at a meeting of the town's community council last week. It followed reports of two crashes in the area.

Sergeant Duncan Marker revealed he was forced to chase one parent down the street outside Melrose Primary School to warn them they were breaking the law - and putting pupils lives in danger.

But he pointed out he needed two witnesses to catch the culprits who risk a court appearance and a driving ban.

Sergeant Marker said: "It wouldn't be the first time we have looked outside our window and saw them."

Menawhile, police revealed three vehicles in the town had been seized by officials from HM Renevues and Customs after being caught with red diesel.

Elsewhere in the town, community councillors blamed inconsiderate motorists who park on the pavement for destroying a new footpath just weeks after it was built. They heard a total of 12 slabs had been destroyed at the junction of St Mary's Road and the High Street in Melrose.

Meanwhile, community councillors also heard a complaint about the number of vehicles thundering through the narrow streets of neighbouring Newstead - despite the completion of the Melrose bypass.

However, it has emerged some of the lampposts on the new road still don't have lights.

Local resident Peter Wood said: "I still think we get more traffic then we ought to coming through Newstead." And he added: "We occasionally get these lorries which stretch from here to Newcastle."

The meeting heard Scottish Borders Council is due to meet representatives from trunk roads contractor BEAR Scotland, which is responsible for the maintainance of the bypass, to drive forward their concerns on March 31.