West Lothian traffic: Rolling road closures planned during tree felling work on A71

Council aims to keep traffic disruption to a minimum

Rolling road closures are planned for a major road in West Lothian as part of a programme to fell thousands of diseased trees.

Contractors removing the ash trees will move onto the A71, the main east-west route through Livingston, later this month. Council officials say traffic disruption will be kept to a minimum, using Stop/Go boards, and only resorting to temporary lights where  wider sections of woodland  need to be felled.

A West Lothian Council spokesperson said: “ Work has already been undertaken on the two sections of the A706 - from Boghead roundabout to Whitburn, and from Whitburn through to the crossroads with A71. 

Felling and pruning of affected ash trees will start later this month along the A71 running through southern Livingston, Picture: Google.

“This involved the removal of class 3 and 4 ash trees, and some pruning and removal of vegetation which was either overhanging the road or where road signs were obscured.”

A class 3  tree is one which is clearly diseased, showing significantly reduced leaf coverage/crown density.  A class 4 tree is one clearly in terminal decline. 

The spokesperson added: “Appropriate traffic management will be in place for upcoming works along the A71 works to ensure the road remains open where works are taking place.  This will be undertaken in two sections – initial work from Wilderness roundabout to the crossroads with A706 is anticipated to start from March 25. 

“The second section of this work will be from Bankton Road – Lizzie Brice’s roundabout to Wilderness roundabout with a start date for this section still to be determined." This work will be similar to that on the A706, which is the main north-south route into  West Lothian from Lanarkshire.

The spokesperson added that no replanting plans have been put in place for the Livingston sites. However, the number of trees removed, and locations have and will be recorded and, where suitable, replanting plans will be made.  Not every site will be suitable for replanting. The removal of some trees will have an indirect benefit, for reducing future maintenance from overhanging vegetation or improving sightlines.  

Other areas will be assessed as to whether natural regeneration may be a suitable option. A record is kept of all removed trees and every effort will be made to offset this loss by identifying suitable new planting sites, ideally in the same vicinity.

The spokesperson said: “Replanting of trees has already taken place along the rural A706 between Westfield and Linlithgow, within the tree belts near Xcite Linlithgow and tree belts along Starlaw road, Bathgate. These works were undertaken by council operatives with help from the Community Justice Teams.”