A TARBET resident has called for an urgent review of road safety on the trunk roads in the village.

Kevin Haggarty says it's only a matter of time before drivers breaking the 30mph speed limit in the area cause a serious accident.

Mr Haggarty, who lives in Ballyhennan Crescent with his wife and two young children, says motorists regularly reach 60 miles an hour on the A82 and A83 trunk roads which run through the village, despite speed limits of 30mph in the village itself and 20mph at Arrochar Primary School.

He told the Advertiser: "There's no real management of road safety in the area. Police patrols are infrequent - they promised heightened patrols for four weeks in the summer but that's not really going to make a difference.

"There a flashing sign as you pass Ballyhennan Crescent when travelling south but by the time they pass the sign many motorists are already doing 60mph.

"When I walk along the main road towards the railway station, where the limit is 30, whether it's rain, hail or shine a number of cars will pass me doing 60.”

Mr Haggarty said his family's pet cat, Rocky, had been run over and killed by a motorist on the A83, and said he feared something worse might happen in future without better safety measures in the area.

"There's no protection measures at all along the stretch between Ballyhennan Crescent and Arrochar Primary School, where many kids walk,” he added.

“Walking back from dropping my daughter off at school one day, three logging trucks went past me going at 45-50mph coming up to the bend in the road at the Tarbet Hotel.

“Our cat getting run over was one issue, but we've considered this a big issue for a long time. Our neighbours who have lived in Ballyhennan Crescent for years say it's only getting worse.

“It's only a matter of time before something more serious happens.”

Vehicle-activated reminder signs on the approaches to Tarbet from the south and west warn that a 30mph zone is in force in the village.

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “Road safety is of paramount importance across the trunk road network. 

“We have implemented improved traffic signing and vehicle activated signs on all approaches to Tarbet in recent years to improve compliance with the speed limit. 

“The pavement on the A83 between Ballyhennan Crescent and the A82/A83 junction is a suitable width, and the pavement between the Tarbet Hotel and Arrochar Primary School is separated from traffic by a grass verge or pedestrian guardrail. 

“There is also a part time 20mph speed limit in force at the beginning and end of the school day. 

“We meet regularly with Argyll and Bute Council, Police Scotland and other road safety stakeholders to discuss safety concerns within the council area.”

An online petition was launched last summer by another Arrochar resident, Chris Johnstone, to install CCTV and increase police patrols on the A82 along Loch Lomond.

That petition has attracted nine hundred signatures so far.