Final report on feasibility of four design options for path between Gullane and Drem delivered
East Lothian Council fully supports the ambition to deliver an active travel route linking the villages of Gullane and Drem. Staff within a range of council teams, associated partners and other interested parties have invested considerable time and resources over the past 17 years in trying to realise this route which has included extensive consultation with a range of stakeholders including residents and landowners over the consideration of a variety of routes.
Earlier this year Stantec, an engineering consultancy, were engaged to assess the feasibility of four potential design options prepared by Sustrans, the national walking/cycling charity. Their extensive investigations were to determine whether any of the concept designs are viable and will also meet the design criteria agreed by the council and Sustrans.
The final report has now been delivered which advises that although it is possible to create a potential solution at this current time ‘all options have failed on the deliverability criteria and are therefore considered unfeasible due to land assembly constraints’. We appreciate that this will be disappointing news for many and the council shares in this disappointment. The combination of projected traffic impacts and unavailability of additional land means that East Lothian Council cannot pursue this project any further at this stage.