Footbridge over the A1 near Dunbar is mooted

It would be used by cyclists as a safer alternative than cycling along a section of the A1 and would provide a much-needed pedestrian-friendly link between Dunbar and nearby smaller communities.

Sustaining Dunbar has been involved in looking at a solution to allow cyclists to negotiate both the main road and also the nearby railway line safely.

Morag Haddow, sustainable transport officer from Sustaining Dunbar, stressed the project was a long-term aim with no source of funding currently available.

But she was hoping the idea would be ready to go, if a major project, such as the dualling of the road, became a reality.

She said: “We are proposing to raise funds to build a pedestrian and cyclist bridge over the A1.

“Land has been identified on either side of the A1 to allow a ramp and access, and landowner permission has been sought.” Mrs Haddow gave a presentation to Dunbar Community Council last week and acknowledged any plans for a bridge at a stretch of the road near Innerwick were unlikely to be cheap.

She said: “There is no obvious funding for this at the moment but it is something I would like to see happen in the long term.

“It would be a great benefit to East Lothian to link up villages to Dunbar and create recreational cycle routes.

“The stage we are at at the moment is to form a steering group.” Already, Sustaining Dunbar has carried out a survey exploring the idea of a bridge over the road.

“People know the communities of Spott, Oldhamstocks and Innerwick are cut off from the town of Dunbar and from the beaches and employment at Torness and the quarry by the A1 and railway line,” she said.

“We have done extended surveys looking at walking and cycling connections and also recreational routes – doing a circular route if very difficult at the moment.” Mrs Haddow said a number of options were looked at, with discussions being held with a number of land owners.

However, the shape of the land and rivers meant the most feasible way forward was to improve the existing cycling paths.

Currently, the cycle path goes behind the cement works before reaching Dunbar’s Queen’s Road.

However, further south-west, the route comes down to the A1.

Mrs Haddow added: “This is the national cycle network and it crosses at Torness. The definition of the national cycle network is it should be cycled by 12-year-olds but I don’t think many parents would allow 12-year-olds to cross the A1.” Now, she is instead calling for the possibility of a bridge being created at the Innerwick Road end.

“The idea is to follow the N76 (core path 42) from Dunbar as far as the Dry Burn, then go under the railway using an existing tunnel, and follow an existing track up to the dual carriageway where a bridge would need to be built to join the footpath to Innerwick,” she said.

Transport Scotland are involved in the discussions – but have stressed they will not pay for a bridge. East Lothian Council and SESTRANS (South East Scotland Transport Partnership) have also been contacted.