A WEE COUNTY village could be set for new traffic calming measures after a petition was aided by the artistic skills of school pupils.

Coalsnaughton PS children created a number of posters which urged drivers to slow down, after residents filed a petition with the council to curb the dangers of motorists speeding through the 30mph zone.

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Advertiser that the petition reached more than 250 signatures before being handed into Keith Brown MSP’s office, who in turn handed it to the local authority.

And last week the woman got a response from the council confirming that action will be taken.

She said: “We got a letter back via Keith Brown. They are going to install technology in the village which will monitor the traffic over the next six to nine months.

“They will then look at the results and get a traffic calming measure installed in either 2019 or 2020.”

Although the village will eventually get what is wanted, she is slightly miffed at the timescale given by the council.

“2020 is an awful long way away," she added. "I am very grateful for it, but that is anything up to two years away.

"I have put the letter up in the post office so that everyone in the village can know what is going on.”

What also disappointed her was the mood of the village when she discussed getting the council to help, suggesting that many feel that they’re not cared for.

She said: "It is unfortunate that every town seems to have these apart from Coalsnaughton.

“Everyone I spoke to seems to feel that the council does not care about the [area]. There is a really low morale in the village.”

One source of optimism, however, is the primary school, led by Colleen ClarkBurns who had P6/7 pupils in the school create posters which are not dotted around the village reminding drivers to slow down.

Colleen told the Advertiser: “The community asked us how we felt about doing something to help them. We have one [traffic calming measure] at one end of the village but not the other.

“As a driver they really do make you take notice of what speed you are going and how you are driving. The kids are passionate about helping the community.”

A council spokeswoman said: “A detailed analysis of the traffic speed and habits on the main routes through Coalsnaughton has been programmed and will take place over the coming months.

“Any works that are required for speed reduction and traffic management would then be expected to take place during the next financial year.”