Anger over A703 Peebles to Penicuik road closure

Graham Ford • Published 24 Sep 2012 07:30

PEEBLES Community Council is to complain in the strongest possible terms to Scottish Borders Council about the forthcoming closure of the A703 for five days starting today.

Community Councillor Douglas Wright was up in arms over the prospect of the A703 Peebles to Penicuik road being closed from during peak times.

The closure is required for resurfacing work of the carriageway between Waterheads and Nether Falla.

Speaking at the community council meeting Douglas said: "I can't believe they are going to take five days to resurface a section of road which measures less than half-a-mile.

"The inconvenience this is going to cause commuters, not to mention the extra fuel costs is simply ridiculous. I can't believe that no-one at the Council considered the poor drivers who are being forced to suffer."

Earlier this month the Peeblesshire News reported that Innerleithen Community Council were also angry at the decision to close the road during peak times causing maximum inconvenience.

It is understood that school buses will be allowed to use the road during the resurfacing which prompted bemusement from Peebles Community Councillors.

Chairman Alasdair Stewart added: "It would have been far more considerate to commuters if they had carried out this work overnight, or introduced a convoy system for what is a relatively short stretch of road."

Work will commence this today (September 24) for five days.

The closure times have now been confirmed qs 8.30am to 5pm with diversions confirmed as follows Northbound - South on the A703 to Peebles; West on the A72 to Blyth Bridge; North on the A701 to Leadburn and South on the A703 to the point of closure. Southbound - the above in reverse.

Are you affected by this colsure? Leave us your comments below.

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This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 21 Sep 12

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