The Drem-Gullane Path Campaign is seeking to complete a safe route

The Scotsman

The Drem-Gullane Path Campaign is seeking to complete a safe route for walkers and cyclists between Drem Station and Gullane, bypassing the busy B1345 road.

Transcript

00:00I'm Alistair Dalton, the Scotsman's Transport Correspondent in East Lothian, where for the

00:06last 20 years, Scotland's longest running PATH campaign has been continuing.

00:14Local people want a safe route between Drem Station, which provides regular service from

00:21Edinburgh, to the growing coastal community of Gullen.

00:25This four mile route is mainly on quiet roads and tracks, but a final section on this busy

00:32road behind us is still to see a PATH built.

00:39I just cycled from Drem on this main road with one of the campaigners, Ian Monk.

00:45It wasn't a particularly pleasant experience with heavy traffic, even during the middle

00:49of the day.

00:50So, Ian, welcome.

00:53Why is this campaign so important and why have you been involved?

00:57Well, it's important because there is a compelling case, Alistair, for a safe link connecting

01:04Drem railway station and Gullen on the coast.

01:07And Ian, what's the appetite locally for this PATH?

01:11Well, there's overwhelming support for the PATH locally, Alistair.

01:17Not just from residents, but from the business community.

01:20We've got fantastic support from local and national politicians and environmental organisations,

01:28cycling organisations, walking organisations.

01:32Everybody is behind this and we just want to get everybody around the table and get

01:39it delivered.

01:40And what are the prospects of getting this final section completed?

01:44Well, we're actually very encouraged and we're very positive about the future because Gullen

01:49Area Community Council last year voted overwhelmingly to make the delivery of the PATH a priority

01:56for them.

01:57Thanks very much, Ian.

02:00And earlier we spoke to Alistair Muir, who represents Drem, on the local community council.

02:06Well, it's been something that's been on the cards for a long, long time.

02:10A lot of people want it.

02:11I think we've run out of momentum, but it's coming back again.

02:14People want it.

02:15It's an obvious place for it to link up.

02:19It's beautiful countryside, but getting from the railway station to Gullen, other than

02:25by car or by bus, is about the only way you can do it at the moment.

02:29The road here is just too busy and too dangerous.

02:33People go too fast, traffic's too big and there's nowhere for cyclists to go.

02:37So it really would make a huge difference, not just to cyclists, but also to pedestrians

02:41as well.

02:42And for all Scotland's transport news, look at scotsman.com under news and transport.

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