East Lothian roads: Summer of disruption ahead as work starts at Wallyford Toll

Drivers and bus passengers face a summer of disruption as East Lothian Council begins work creating new cycle paths at Wallyford Toll.

The introduction of the new walkways and cycle paths at the roundabout which lies to the east of Musselburgh where it merges with traffic from Wallyford and Prestonpans is likely to take around three months and will see roads closed to through traffic and bus route changes.

The work, which is expected to be funded by Scottish Government grants,  is part of a wider plan to introduce an active travel freeway from Dunbar to Edinburgh with a network of new cycle routes and footpaths.

The work at Wallyford Toll, near Musselburgh, is expected to last three months.

Among the new design proposals for the roundabout are four new toucan crossings, improved facilities to allow people to walk, wheel and cycle safely around and across the roundabout and narrowing of the space for motorised traffic on the roundabout.

A report lodged in the council’s members library reveals the Wallyford Toll work will begin in the summer and warns it will create disruption for road users. It said: “Unfortunately such extensive changes will have an unavoidable impact on traffic in the area during the construction phase, and particularly on the viability of bus services.

“We engaged specifically with bus operators to devise a construction framework which will minimise periods of disruption for buses.”

The work involves the creation of new walkways and cycle paths at the roundabout. Image: East Lothian Council.

The first stage of the work, which  officers said will take at least ten weeks to complete, will see the carriageway space reduced while normal traffic is maintained.

The second stage will see four way temporary traffic lights introduced for up to a month with two of the main roads off the roundabout closed to through traffic. The roads towards Prestonpans and Wallyford will be access only during the work. The final stage which is expected to last two weeks will return traffic movement to normal.

The report on the work said the design was drawn up in “full consultation with the surrounding communities and local elected members”.

It added: “The changes will have significant local benefits in making it easier to walk and cycle between Prestonpans, Wallyford, Musselburgh and Tranent. Once the work is complete, many more people will feel able to choose to walk or cycle, knowing that they can reach their destination easily and quickly.”

Plans to create the East Lothian Active Freeway are still in the design phase but will see cycle and walking corridors create throughout the county with national funding in the next few years.