Falkirk area village residents petition for lower speed limit amid safety concerns

A group of Torwood residents met with Provost Robert Bissett and Councillor Jack Redmond to hand over their petition to be passed to the roads department on Friday. Andrew Macfarlane from the council’s place services, was also in attendance to discuss the road safety concerns.

Locals have expressed concerns about the volume and speed of traffic travelling down the section of the A9 that passes by Castle Crescent, Provost Gardens, and Forrester Gait in the village.

In a petition to Falkirk Council, residents wrote “a reduction in speed to 20mph or 30mph would enhance the safety and wellbeing of our village community”, listing safety, vehicle speed, and noise pollution as their main concerns.

Some residents report multiple incidents of nighttime racing occurring on the road, with motorbikes and cars speeding along the road when it appears empty.

They also say there have been a number of accidents on the road, including at least two this year, just four months apart.

Residents say the traffic through the village is having an impact on locals, particularly the young children, elderly and people with disabilities living in the village.

One resident said: “We’ve got young children. We don’t even walk around here and it’s our own village, our own community. I think it’s a matter of time before someone gets hit. It’s more when that will happen rather than if that will happen.”

Another worries about their elderly parents, who struggle with mobility issues, trying to cross the road to reach the bus stop.

The noise of “near-constant traffic” has forced one household to keep their windows shut at all times, while another installed triple-glazed windows in an effort to block some of the sound.

Several residents who have lived in the village for many years say these issues weren’t always as pertinent as they currently are, saying the road “seems to be getting worse”.

One local said: “I’ve lived here for a long time, most of us have, and when we first moved here it was a 60 limit. It was nowhere near as bad as it is now, we’ve got the hospital traffic and the slip road which has increased the rate [of traffic] dramatically.”

The road was once a 60mph route before Falkirk Council assessed it in accordance with guidance from Scottish Executive Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department (ETLLD). They then determined a 40mph restriction would be appropriate. However, with the addition of Forth Valley Royal Hospital and motorway traffic, residents say the road has become busier and they believe a 40mph limit is no longer suitable.

The council stated a further speed reduction to 30 or 20 mph “would likely see reduced levels of compliance and, importantly, would not be in accordance with the relevant guidance on speed limits, so may bring them into disrepute”.

However, residents are questioning this decision, arguing that Plean – under Stirling Council’s authority and also on the A9 – has a 20mph zone in place to reduce the speed of passing traffic.

“I do believe that Falkirk Council have forgotten that this is actually a village, they’re hiding behind this guidance…I do think that Torwood is a forgotten village,” one resident said.

Provost Robert Bissett and Councillor Jack Redmond met residents and agreed to pass the petition to the Roads Department on their behalf.

Provost Bissett said: “If people are raising a concern like that we’ve got to look at it, the last thing we want is for something bad to happen and you haven’t actually looked at it. It’s important to support people when they’ve got an issue.”

In response to residents’ concerns, a Falkirk Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the concerns raised by residents in Torwood. In 2024, we reduced the speeds on Glen Road, Torwood as part of the first phase of our 20mph speed limit programme.

“The A9 is assessed separately. Road safety improvements are prioritised using a range of information, including recorded personal injury accidents, traffic volumes, average vehicle speeds and local knowledge. Based on the current data, the A9 through Torwood does not meet the criteria set by Transport Scotland for reducing the existing 40mph speed limit.

“Recorded average speeds are within the expected range for the current limit. There have been two recorded slight personal injury accidents on this stretch of road in the past ten years, with excessive speed not identified as a contributing factor in either.

“However, following a recent site meeting, officers are looking at whether any suitable measures could be considered to address the concerns raised by residents.”