A LAST-DITCH plea by pro-rail enthusiasts to derail plans for a new road bridge north of Heriot has failed.

The Campaign for Borders Rail wanted an A7 flyover at Falahill to be long enough to accommodate a double-tracked railway beneath - rather than a single line as is proposed by Network Rail.

Nick Bethune from CBR’s London office wrote to each individual member of Scottish Borders Council’s planning committee at the weekend.

He stated: “Our message to the planning committee is only to approve this application on condition that the proposed bridge structure be redesigned to allow the railway to be double-tracked in the future.

“We urge the committee to act in the interests of proper long-term planning, rather than passively accepting arguments that are motivated solely by short-term cost factors.” But the plea, along with objections from residents in Falahill over the redesign of the road-rail crossover, didn’t persuade the nine-strong committee to go against recommendations from their planning officers.

The Falahill saga stretches back seven years when the initial design realigned the A7, with a skewed railway cross over.

The discovery of a mains gas pipe running beneath the proposed route led to a rethink, with a fresh application for two raised roundabouts to be used instead of the bridge being passed in 2010.

Although the alternatives were welcomed by residents of Falahill - they were met by strong opposition from road users and other nearby community groups with 30 objections being tabled.

This latest application, which was submitted in the summer, will see a return to the road and railway sandwiching the row of cottages.

Stow councillor Sandy Atchison delivered a supportive speech to Monday’s committee. He said: “I support this application and feel it is a return to common sense.

“I drove this road for 28 years when I was employed in Edinburgh and this was the one and only place I had a bang. When the weather is bad this is the place where road conditions are at their worst. I support this new application for road safety reasons, for having lesser impact on the landscape and it is also at lesser cost to the roundabouts.” Members of the committee were told that the possibility of double-tracking the railway beneath the road cross-over wasn’t a planning issue.

And the revised application by Network Rail should be considered on its own merits.

Planning boss John Hayward said: “There will be opportunities on other parts of the rail for passing and future proofing.

“The key issue is the impact on the residents of Falahill - the sandwich effect to the properties requires careful consideration.” The committee was told that noise buffers would be placed between the properties and the railway.

And better parking arrangements, as well as bus stops, were included in the new design.

Roads official Derek Inglis added: “This new scheme is much more sympathetic to a rural setting - there’s no need for all of the lights that went with the two roundabouts - and it is better for drivers.

“There is no doubt in my mind that this is the better scheme.” Selkirkshire councillor Michelle Ballantyne added: “This is a huge improvement on what we had before.

“I hope the rail line is future proofed even if we can’t impose it.” The new scheme for Falahill was unanimously passed by members of the committee.