CRITICISM has been levelled at the way a Peeblesshire road closure was advertised.

The B712 – which connects the A72, near Peebles, with the A701 to Moffat – was shut for five days recently for planned Openreach work near Rachan.

However, a meeting of Upper Tweed Community Council (UTCC) heard that the closure was not well advertised and many people only found out by looking at the Stobo Castle website.

UTCC vice chairman Rosalind Birchall told the gathering that Scottish Borders Council roads department told her there should have been advance signage about the closure.

Local traffic could get through by using the minor single track Dreva Road but large trucks would need to use the A72 to Blyth Bridge to connect to the A701.

Ms Birchall said: “The signs were correct when put out on Monday, January 16, the day the diversion started.

“However, there was snow overnight. The Dreva Road is not gritted and was like a skating rink.

“There have been too many closures of the B712 in the past year.”