TRAFFIC which would usually use the A1 to pass through East Lothian will have to take an extended diversion of nearly half an hour during a road closure next month.

A section of the road at Thorntonloch near Torness, south-east of Dunbar, will close in both directions for a total of seven nights.

The closures will only be overnight on weekdays, between July 5 and 9, and on July 12 and 13.

However, due to a lack of a suitable local diversion route, through traffic will be told to avoid the A1 in East Lothian in its entirety via a lengthy diversion from the Edinburgh City Bypass to the Berwick Bypass.

Drivers are being urged to plan ahead to avoid the closures.

Transport Scotland’s operating company BEAR Scotland is setting up to carry out more than £130,000 worth of resurfacing improvements over the seven nights.

It will see almost 400 metres of carriageway resurfaced and made smoother and safer.

Work will take place between 7.30pm and 6.30am each night and is due to be completed by 6.30am on July 14. No work will be carried out on July 10 or 11. The affected section of road will be closed to traffic in both directions during these hours.

A signposted diversion is in place between the Old Craighall Roundabout at the end of A720 Edinburgh City Bypass and the Berwick Bypass on the A1, with the diversion operating via the A68, A697 and A6105.

It will add an extra 26 minutes and 6.6 miles onto affected journeys, BEAR Scotland says.

The emergency services will be given access through the works but other traffic will not.

Any traffic arriving from the north will be turned back to divert via the A720 and those arriving from the south will be turned back to divert via the Berwick Bypass.

Traffic in East Lothian will still be able to use the A1 to travel between points outwith the closure (e.g. travelling between the Old Craighall and Spott junctions).

Local access for residents within the closure points will be permitted when safe to do so.

Tommy Deans, BEAR Scotland’s south-east network manager, said: “These surfacing improvements will help to address the defects on this section of the A1 and will greatly improve the experience for motorists.

“It is essential for safety that we close the road during these works; however, there is no local diversion route so we’re asking road users to plan ahead to avoid these closures.

“Trunk road traffic will need to divert well before they reach the works – from either Berwick or the Edinburgh City Bypass.

“We thank motorists and the local community in advance for their patience and understanding. We’ll do all we can to complete the work as quickly and safely as possible.”