TWEEDDALE councillors are being urged to ask for the installation of a puffin crossing at Peebles' Eastgate to be delayed – to allow for further consultation.

The matter was discussed at length during a virtual community council meeting last week.

A number of concerns were raised including the ability of buses to manoeuvre onto the bus stop and that a daytime site visit carried out auditors "only lasted 45 minutes".

Community councillors are now calling on local elected members to ask for the installation to be put back until an "all-encompassing consultation" to address all transport needs in the town can be held.

Peebles Community Council chairman Les Turnbull said: “The community council is not against the idea of an additional pedestrian crossing in the Eastgate, but we do have real concerns that the current proposals will affect the ability of buses to manoeuvre onto the bus stop. All we are asking is for SBC to use common sense and hold an all-encompassing consultation that will address all of our transport needs in town. There are so many transport related issues that cause residents concern, it would be better to address these together rather than this piecemeal approach which might create more problems than it solves.

“This is quite a long saga. Under places for people (COVID related) SBC had consultation earlier in year about creating cycles lanes all over the place. In amongst that was a question about a puffin crossing in the Eastgate but no detail as to where exactly it would go; 51 per cent said it was a good idea. Now the detail is out, many are telling us that had they known they would not have said yes."

All six Tweeddale councillors (Stuart Bell; Shona Haslam; Robin Tatler; Heather Anderson; Kris Chapman and Eric Small) told us this week they hope everyone in the town will "get behind the plans".

In a joint statement, they said: “In the new year Scottish Borders Council will be installing a puffin crossing at the Eastgate to formalise an already well-used crossing point with the purpose of improving the safety of vulnerable road users in a suitably safe location. Between 2010 and 2019 there were four pedestrians injured in this vicinity.

“This location was originally highlighted by Sustrans when tasked to look at measures to increase active travel in Peebles. In May 2021 the public were consulted on a puffin crossing in this location, the introduction of advisory cycle lanes and alterations the taxi rank. After taking into consideration public responses to the survey, which indicated that there was clearly no demand for cycle lanes at Peebles Eastgate and High Street, advisory cycle lanes were installed in other parts of the town and the taxi ranks were rearranged. The consultation indicated that a majority were in favour of a puffin crossing in the vicinity and this will therefore be installed in the new year.

“The design for the new crossing has been independently assessed by a reputable external road safety audit specialist and as anticipated, it has been confirmed that this location is suitable, that large vehicles will be able to safely manoeuvre and that the timetabled bus operations will not be affected.

“To safely accommodate the crossing point, the loading bay that has been in place since 2019 will need to be removed and the council is currently consulting with all businesses on Peebles Eastgate and High Street on the demand and suitable location for a replacement loading bay.

“We believe this is an important road safety addition for Peebles and hope everyone in the town will get behind it.”