Cycling, walking and safer routes works taking shape in East Lothian

by Adrian Tatum

East Lothian Council’s Active Travel Team has reported progress with a range of active travel across the county.

Taking full advantage of Scottish Government funding, East Lothian Council’s Active Travel Team has been busy taking forward projects which benefit everyone walking, cycling and wheeling around the county, said the council.

A path under the railway at Monktonhall Place in Musselburgh has been surfaced, creating a high- quality link between that part of town and the university and rail station, and construction of a new route to school at Fa’side Avenue North in Wallyford will shortly get underway. The other Wallyford route to school, along The Loan, was in place in time for Rosehill High School opening in August, and numerous other schools and high streets have seen the installation of new cycle racks.

The following smaller projects are also scheduled to be constructed over the winter period, weather permitting:

Crossing of A199 at Pinkie Playing Fields, Musselburgh
Path to Journey Hub at Mid Road, Prestonpans
Link Path on Gardiner Terrace, Prestonpans
Crossing of Summerfield Road, Dunbar
Raised table at junction of Quality Street/North Berwick High Street
Enabling works at the south access to Dunbar Station
Creation of an accessible route to Preston Tower Primary School

The Active Travel team are also teeing up projects for the next few years and those which are being taken forward through extensive public consultation to full design include:

The first sections of East Lothian’s Active Freeway from Dunbar to Tranent, where a high-quality walking and cycling route is being developed to run alongside the A199
A full re-design of Wallyford Toll roundabout to better connect Tranent, Musselburgh, Prestonpans and Wallyford for people on foot or cycling
Active travel facilities along Tynebank Road, Haddington

These activities sit alongside ongoing work to develop a network of active travel routes through Musselburgh Active Toun, and projects being taken forward by housing developers such as Hargreaves’ plans to build a path connecting Blindwells to Prestonpans station. East Lothian Council is also working closely with Scottish Borders Council on a Workforce Mobility project which seeks to develop a network of Journey Hubs to improve access to public transport.

Additionally, the projects below are progressing with concept designs, with a view to reaching out to local people for comment and working up full designs in the new year.

Replacement and upgrade of the bridge over the Tyne at Riverside Drive, Haddington
Levenhall to Prestonpans – improved cycling / walking link
Elphinstone to Tranent – improved cycle / walking link
Countess Crescent and Delisle Street, Dunbar

Projects at even earlier stages in the pipeline include high-level studies of route networks such as the studies around Belhaven in Dunbar and the Prestonpans/Tranent area and these will be published in the new year.

Councillor John McMillan, Cabinet Member for Environment, Economic Development and Tourism said: “It is exciting to be delivering on our commitments to improve health and well-being, through the reduction of carbon emissions resulting in improved air quality. Across the county we are delivering high-quality infrastructure for walking, cycling and wheeling.

“Our Active Travel team has working closely with the Area Partnerships to identify local priorities for improvements going forward and to make the most of the external funding available. I would encourage anyone interested in the development of active travel in East Lothian to go online and discover what has been delivered or planned for their local area.”