HELENSBURGH’S police chief says he would support a 20 miles per hour speed limit near the town’s Hermitage Academy to protect the school’s pupils.

Inspector Roddy MacNeill backed the idea while giving an update on local policing at a meeting of councillors on Thursday.

Helensburgh councillor Ellen Morton, chair of Argyll and Bute Council’s Helensburgh and Lomond area committee, floated the idea of reducing the limit on the dual carriageway section of the A814, next to the school.

Inspector MacNeill indicated that a speed safety van, measuring the speed of cars on the road, would not be possible, but said there are plans for a traffic survey in the area.

He said: “There have been a couple of community meetings regarding speeding motorists, and it is an ongoing issue.

“We have compiled a list of districts to work on and are working away on them. We have had complaints about the dual carriageway, down near the school.

“It is a 30 miles per hour limit there, but residents are concerned about drivers breaking the limit. I have asked for a traffic survey.

“The speed van will not come down to the dual carriageway as it will only work off crash statistics, but we are looking to get work done there to see if any calming measures can be implemented.

“It is always busy with young people crossing the road to get to and from school.”

Councillor Morton then asked: “What would the process be to implement a 20 miles per hour limit in the vicinity of the school at Colgrain, and would it be worth considering?”

Inspector MacNeill replied: “I would need to check that, but we will be better placed once the traffic survey has been carried out.

“Would I support cutting the speed limit? Yes, I would.”

Councillor David Kinniburgh also raised the issue of speeding in Cardross, as well as at the dual carriageway near Hermitage.

He said: “There is lots of good stuff in the report, but on the speeding issue, I wanted to ask about the dual carriageway.

“There is a problem travelling east, which seems to have been happening since the new school was put in.

“It is not as bad from my experience, and not as bad coming into Helensburgh as it once was, but could we not consider deploying the speed safety van?

“It is constantly being brought up at Cardross Community Council, and there are a lot of accidents in that area.

“Is there any way of deploying the van in Cardross?

“I realise it might be difficult to position it in Cardross, but I can think of some specific places it could be situated.”

Inspector MacNeill said he would investigate.