County's third speed camera welcomed

The camera is currently undergoing testing on the busy road at Glencorse Golf Club near Penicuik and is scheduled to go live in the coming weeks.

From 2013-15 there were two serious collisions and four slight collisions on the one kilometre stretch of road from the golf course to Parkhead Lodge. A follow-up speed survey found that 64 per cent of vehicles broke the speed limit.

Penicuik Community Council vice-chairman Ken Brown is glad to see the speed camera installed.

He said: “I think that whole stretch of road into Penicuik has been an issue since they made it 30mph, which was in the past year.

“From the golf course to the town people have been going too fast, people just put the foot down along there. So I think this is a great thing for safety reasons, and the fact that the people are coming in and out of the golf course.

“It used to be that once you were past the barracks it went up to 40mph but then they decided to make that entire stretch 30mph, which made sense. However people still like to go too fast on that road. This is a good thing, especially where they have placed it.”

Bob Murphy, area communications officer for Police Scotland’s east safety camera unit, said: “That’s quite a short stretch of road to have a number of collisions featured on it and so this road has been highlighted by our analysis.

“The options were considered in conjunction with Midlothian Council and it was decided that the best option was the fixed speed camera.”

This new speed camera joins the two existing speed cameras on the A68 at Pathhead and Soutra Farm.