COMPLAINTS about missing road signs, “clueless” stewards and cancelled bus services have been passed on to East Lothian Council’s chief executive following this year’s Scottish Half Marathon.

Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council has raised concerns about the event for the second year running after it was inundated with angry comments.

The half marathon, which runs from Meadowmill, Tranent, along the coast road to Longniddry and back to Musselburgh Racecourse, was this year preceded for the first time by a 10k race.

Many roads on the route were closed from 6am to accommodate the two races.

However, the community council said it had received numerous complaints from residents and business owners who were unable to navigate poorly marked diversions.

One community councillor said: “Some of the diversion signs were missing.

“The stewards had no clue where drivers were supposed to go and one set of signs sent motorists round in a circle.

“It would have been a nightmare for anyone trying to get to Seton Sands, and on top of that the buses waited until Saturday night before announcing they would not be running through the village.”

Sheila Chamber, community council chairwoman, said she had written to Angela Leitch, the council’s chief executive, raising the issues created by the half marathon on Sunday, September 17.

Community council treasurer Pauline Torley said: “I don’t understand why it is so bad. The Edinburgh Marathon is organised much better and does not create anything like the problems this event does.”

Last year the community council wrote to the local authority after the event was held on a Saturday, and clashed with the Battle of Prestonpans Re-enactment weekend, bringing Cockenzie and Port Seton to a standstill.

Following their intervention, organisers GSI Events agreed to change the event to a Sunday this year. However, it still caused disruption.

Lothian Buses announced at 6pm on Saturday, September 16 that its 26 service would not run from Prestonpans through Seton Sands and Port Seton because the roads were being closed to buses.

Local businesses complained of having to close for the day, with the local garage revealing it was unable to help customers because its team of staff were unable to get to work.

East Lothian Council confirmed it had received the complaint from the community council as well as two other complaints in relation to the half-marathon.

And it said it was planning to extend event planning meetings in the future to include representatives from community councils, tenants and residents groups, and area partnerships to advise and hear concerns ahead of public events in the future – a move confined to major events in the past

A council spokesperson said: “The council helps to support the hosting of a wide range of public events across the county each year. Organisers are required to provide details about their event to enable the council and partners, including police, to plan appropriately.

“Some events may require planning restrictions and/or road closures and whilst the council will provide signage, the responsibility for ‘neighbour notification’ lies with the organisers.

“The council will extend its event planning meetings to include representatives from community councils, tenants and residents groups and the area partnerships to advise and to hear concerns about any public event proposed for their locality.”