Cross East Lothian Active Freeway

Construction will start on improvements to the Wallyford Toll roundabout in November 2025.

The project has been designed by AECOM and constructed by Akela on behalf of East Lothian Council. The work is primarily scheduled to take place at night to minimise disruption with completion expected by the end of March. The site will be cleared for a two-week break over the Christmas period.

Being a large interchange with a focus on motorised vehicles, the Wallyford Toll roundabout has long been a barrier to travel on foot, in wheelchairs or by bikes between Prestonpans, Musselburgh, Wallyford and Tranent. The busy traffic and lack of crossing points means that is no easy way for partially-sighted people, or people with limited mobility, to make a connection across it. Some examples are:

Narrow pavements with no crossings as you approach from Prestonpans

End of cycleway on Haddington Road as you approach from Musselburgh

The design for Wallyford Toll roundabout includes:

• new green man and green bike crossings to create more opportunities for safe crossing of the arms of the roundabout
• improved facilities to allow people to walk, wheel and cycle safely around and across the roundabout
• narrowing the space for motorised traffic on the roundabout while still ensuring that buses and large lorries can navigate it

Works proposed for Wallyford Toll roundabout

Changes to Wallyford Toll are a key part of longer-term proposals to make it easier to walk and cycle between Prestonpans, Wallyford, Musselburgh and Tranent. Once the routes are complete, many more people will feel able to choose to walk or cycle, knowing that they can reach their destination easily and quickly. Other linking projects include:

• Musselburgh Active Toun (MAT), a new segregated cycleway (Route 2) is to be provided on the A199 Haddington Road, connecting Wallyford Toll to Musselburgh
• the high quality Cross East Lothian Active Freeway, connecting Musselburgh, mostly following the A199 corridor