New speed camera deployed at collision hotspot on A708 at St Mary’s Loch in Borders

A new speed camera is to be deployed in an attempt to curb speeding motorcyclists following a series of collisions at St Mary’s Loch in the Borders.

A mobile camera van will operate at Cappercleuch on the A708 Moffat-Selkirk road from tomorrow.

Safety Cameras Scotland said the move was part of its “summer staycation” campaign to urge drivers to stay within the speed limits.

Its east safety camera unit said the van would be deployed for the whole of July on the route, which is expected to see increased holiday traffic.

The A708 at Cappercleuch looking west. Picture: Google Street View

The unit said there had been several speed-related collisions involving motorcyclists there in the last few weeks.

Manager Michael Grant said: "Working with colleagues from Police Scotland and Scottish Borders Council, the A708 at St Mary’s Loch was identified as a location that would benefit from a short-term deployment of the safety camera van, due to an expected increase in visitors to the area and a number of recent collisions involving motorcyclists, which were speed related.”

Inspector Andrew Gibb, of Lothian and Borders road policing, said: “Motorcyclists are among the most vulnerable on our roads, therefore they must make sure that they are travelling at an appropriate speed within the speed limit.

"Losing control when travelling at excessive speed is one of the most common causes of collisions involving motorcyclists and the consequences can be fatal”.

A motorcyclist was killed last July when he collided with a car on the A708 seven miles west of Cappercleuch.

A woman pillion passenger died in 2017 when two motorbikes collided on the road four miles east of Cappercleuch.

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