Border Telegraph | News | Delays during A72 shutdown

Monday, 8th September, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 14th November, 2007 13:30

Delays during A72 shutdown

By David Knox

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DRIVERS could face daytime detours of up to 40 miles as chaos hits the A72.

Over the next three weeks Scottish Borders Council will close the main artery between Peeblesshire and the central Borders during daylight hours.

They have created official diversions towards Edinburgh before forcing motorists down the A7 towards Galashiels.

Bus passengers also face lengthy delays to accommodate the resurfacing work between Dirtpot Corner, near Cardrona, and The Nest only a mile or so west of Clovenfords.

Busses will be allowed through certain sections of the roadworks, while at other times mini-buses will be used to ferry passengers from one side to the other.

A spokeswoman for Scottish Borders Council stated: “First Bus service 62 will operate as close as possible to the current timetable for the duration of the roadworks.

“Passengers are advised that there are likely to be delays and are asked to be patient.”

From Monday, the A72 will be shut off to traffic from the Walkerburn down to Thornilee between 9a.m and 4.30p.m.

The scale of surfacing and the width of the carriageway forced roads bosses into the closures.

David Richardson, from the council’s roads department, explained: “We have to adhere to health and safety regulations and they stipulate that the work on the A72 will require complete closure at sections.

“We anticipate locals will use back roads to get round the closed sections but we are advising drivers to follow the main diversion routes.”

On Sunday November 18, the road will be closed between Thornielee and The Nest from 6.30a.m and 4.30p.m.

From Monday, November 19, the A72 will be closed in two areas – from Woodend to Dirtpot Corner until Tuesday, November 27, and also Innerleithen High Street for a couple of days.

And a convoy system will be in place along the back road from Cardrona to Traquair as service buses will also use this route.

The half-million-pound roadworks are part of a drive to cut crashes on one of the region’s most dangerous roads.

As well as resurfacing, embankments will be cut, new warning signs erected, barriers repaired and new road markings painted during the three-week project.

Meetings took place with the emergency services, schools and bus companies prior to the closures being announced.

The A72 will reopen as normal from Wednesday, November 27.

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