A recent car crash at a notorious accident blackspot near Penicuik in Scotland has prompted a member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) to call for immediate action to prevent further collisions.

Local Lib Dem MSP Jeremy Purvis said the councils concerned in improving safety for drivers at the Leadburn junction of the A701 Penicuik road, the A703 from Peebles and the A6094 to Bonnyrigg were not making the junction a priority – and called the situation ‘unacceptable’.

Local newspaper the Peeblesshire News reports that Midlothian and Scottish Borders Councils removed the accident blackspot from a priority programme last year, after government funding ‘dried up’.

In the past 10 years, three drivers have been killed in accidents at the junction – and dozens of others have been injured.

On Friday 16 October, a Mercedes and Renault collided at the blackspot at around 1pm – the vehicles’ occupants were treated for minor injuries at the scene of the crash.

Mr Purvis said:

‘Funding that had been ring-fenced for the project under the previous Scottish Government has now been withdrawn and the fate of the junction is effectively in limbo. Although this latest incident was relatively minor, it is a fast stretch of road and at those speeds it is a very fine line between what constitutes a minor collision and a very serious accident indeed.

‘Accidents will continue to happen until the necessary improvements are made.’

Funding was previously filtered through the regional transport organisation SEStran. An upgrade was planned for the junction before the funding ran out – initial studies into measures to improve road safety were also completed.

‘It is extremely frustrating that the issue of this junction has come to a standstill,’ said Mr Purvis. ‘This latest incident highlights again the concern about this stretch of road.’

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