The council is proposing to spend up to £17,400 on signage and line painting to ensure school ‘zigzag’ markings can be enforced.
This week councillors in the Cheviot area, which covers Kelso, Jedburgh and St Boswells, were told up to £3,900 would be spent in their patch to make the markings, which are currently only advisory, subject to a new traffic regulation order (TRO).
It has taken almost three years for progress to be made on the matter.
In November 2010, the council backed a motion by then member Fiona Lackenby for a ‘move forward’ to be made which would see such markings come under a TRO.
The proposed regulation will make it illegal for vehicles to park on the ‘School Keep Clear’ markings on weekdays between 8am and 4pm.
The report which went before councillors at the Cheviot area forum yesterday stated: “The order is proposed to further promote road safety in the vicinity of schools by making currently advisory zigzag school entrance road markings enforceable.”
A two-stage consultation process, with statutory consultees and the public, drew no objections.
The report added: “All schools that currently have keep clear marking have been included in the TRO and there are no schools which were considered to require either additional lengths or new markings where none exist at present.”
A council spokesman told The Southern that the May 2011 election, the preparation of plans and legal documents, and changes in the council’s committee system had all held back the proposal.
He added that demands on the legal services team had also led to delays with the consultation and draft of the proposed TRO.
The spokesman said: “Of the spend of £17,400, roughly half this estimate (c£8,500) relates to road markings and is what is seen as necessary should all sites need their existing road markings refreshed.
“The remaining costs are required to provide signs. These sites currently do not have signs and the traffic regulation order will introduce restrictions that will be enforceable.
“At present, the traffic warden service and police have limited enforcement powers.”
The work will be paid for from the council transport department’s ‘Aids to Movement’ budget.