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CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Campaign for Drem to Gullane path
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Posted 11 years ago #
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Hello everyone,
Sorry for the long time lag since our last update. There has been a fair amount of work going on behind the scenes to secure our aim of a safe route between Drem and Gullane.
The East Lothian Access Forum has been actively engaging with landowners to come up with a viable path. At a meeting in Haddington one of the landowners offered a revised route from Drem, following the line of main road (B1345) down to the existing bridge (in the layby) over the Peffer Burn. One of the two other routes to 357 proposed recently, in order to provide the landowners with options to discuss.
We welcome this offer. Whilst it wouldn’t be our first choice it does provide a potential solution to meet the community’s needs. It is an entirely different route from the original 357 Core Path already designated by East Lothian Council after community-wide consultations for the County-wide Core Path Plan.
East Lothian Council is now drawing up detailed plans for building the path, including financing and engagement with community and other landowner interests. A primary concern for us, the Council and the Local Access Forum is that the route is safe for all potential users including families, walkers, cyclists and joggers, and acceptable to all involved landowners.
We have now been invited by the Council to take part in a discussion, including a meeting with the landowner, about the proposed new path.
We will report back to you with the results of the meeting. In the meantime, please let us know if you have any queries or comments either via email or our new campaign twitter account @dgcorepath
We have attached a snapshot history about the path and also a propsed timeline for implementing this latest proposal from the landownwer.
Finally, we have invited East Lothian Council CEO Angela Leitch to join us on a morning cycling commute to Drem station that takes in the dangerous main road.
Best wishes,
Iain, Chris and Lachlan
On behalf of the Drem-Gullane Path CampaignPosted 11 years ago # -
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@dgcorepath)
06/07/2013 10:39
Public meeting in Gullane Village Hall on Monday at 7pm. #dgcorepath"
Posted 11 years ago # -
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September 10, 2013Hi folks
Here’s an update on what’s been happening since our public meeting in Gullane.
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Posted 11 years ago # -
Posted 10 years ago #
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latest - not good news :( what a shame
Posted 10 years ago # -
any chance of a copy/paste or summary of the main details? Can't view google-hosted documents.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Campaigners - mind getting on with this path, now it seems like a goer?
Council - Not really.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Aye. Someone might have to do some work.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Drem/Gullane Path
Looking for volunteers
Follow on Twitter @dgcorepath"We will be leafleting both villages and surrounding area over the coming weeks to drum up more local support. Would you be willing to help with leafleting?
Towards the end of October, we plan to organise a mass community walk from Gullane to Drem that will take in the preferred 357 route. We will view option 1 too. We want as many people as possible to join us. Are you interested?"
Current position
Earlier this year we attended a meeting, arranged by the community council, with residents from Drem to seek a solution for a route for the core path.
Some Drem residents, although they fully support a path, have issues with the final bit detailed in Option 3 (following the west side of the B1345) such as security, proximity to their back gardens etc.
They also raised the issue of cost - money to buy out the farmer (the landowner has not advised the council how much he wants for the land) + cost of construction (possibly up to £100,000 according to the council). Huge amounts of money at a time when council coffers are under severe pressure.
It may be politically hazardous for the council to buy land for this path. In other cases across the county, local landowners have to so far generously given their land for footpath access. Therefore, the option of the council paying for land may not be realistic or wise.
Both groups preferred either:
1. The route of the existing core path line (Option 1, commonly known as route 357). Estimated cost of completion identified by the council is approximately £35,000.
2. The shorter alternative (Option 2). This is the direct route, from the bottom of the tarmac road that leads down from Drem, straight across the landowners’ field (a few hundred yards) and over the Peffer Burn (footbridge needed). Minimal disturbance to his farming acreage (compared to the other two). This option has not been costed, but we expect it to be the cheapest by far.
We also looked at a possible fourth option on the eastern side of the B1345, which would slightly reduce the hazards of the road crossing and eliminate the path going behind the gardens in Drem. It would avoid claims of potential disturbance round the back of houses in Drem.Landowners response
In April, the East Lothian Access Forum, on behalf of the campaign, approached the landowner to see if there was any way he would agree to options 1 or 2, or if option 4 was viable. Unfortunately, the landowner has continued to state that the only option he will consider is the costly option 3.
Next steps
We will be leafleting both villages and surrounding area over the coming weeks to drum up more local support. Would you be willing to help with leafleting?
Towards the end of October, we plan to organise a mass community walk from Gullane to Drem that will take in the preferred 357 route. We will view option 1 too. We want as many people as possible to join us. Are you interested?
The council has stated that it has no legal powers to enforce route 357. Through a freedom of Information request, we asked to see the legal advice, but the council has refused to reveal that information to the community. We will pursue this matter vigorously and write again to the council requesting the information.
We will not give up, many thanks for your continued support.
Drem/Gullane Path Campaign
Follow us on Twitter @dgcorepath
Posted 9 years ago # -
In many ways this shouldn't be up to the LA (by accident of geography, East Lothian here).
The whole Core Path process was set up by a previous Government, but the present SNP one is also interested in Access and Land Reform (somewhat tentatively).
Perhaps there should be some sort of 'unit' responding to obvious community interests such as this and facilitating it - via Sustrans or Paths for All or 'community buyout'(?)
Posted 9 years ago # -
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George Kerevan, East Lothian SNP MP, pledged his "unqualified support" this week for the campaign to complete the Drem-Gullane cycle path, which would take cyclists and walkers off a dangerous main road.
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Posted 8 years ago # -
@chdot
The Drem/Gullane path campaigners are a doughty lot. But I'm curious about how much power a Westminster MP would have to influence this.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"how much power a Westminster MP would have"
Always a good question to ask!
Presumably GK will have some influence over the policies of the council's SNP group (though they may well already support this so he is just 'agreeing').
I would be a bit surprised if this particular issue was split along party lines, but there are elements which involve Holyrood legislation/policies - land reform, LA funding etc. The SG is currently run by the same party that GK is currently in.
Posted 8 years ago # -
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Mark is in Gullane to hear about the bid to complete a 1.2km section of path in one of the longest-running modern right of way battles in Scotland.
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Posted 8 years ago # -
DREM GULLANE PATH - UPDATE
(Note - 12 years of campaigning!)
"As you know, for the past twelve years, we have been pressing for a bike-friendly link between Drem and Gullane, away from the dangerous main road.
In March, East Lothian Council approached us to ask if we would be prepared to take part in mediation talks involving ourselves, the landowner and other interested parties, to break the impasse in the dispute.
We agreed and put forward our arguments for core path 357 and the shorter route, across the farmer's field, at the bottom of the tarmac road leading from the Chesters in Drem.
The landowner happily participated in the mediation process, but wished to maintain his long held, publicly stated position - to offer an off-road path on the west side of the B1345 from Drem.After careful consideration, the campaign has decided to formally back the landowners' preferred route. This represents a major shift in the direction of our campaign.
We believe it is the most realistic option that will deliver a safe path between Gullane and Drem. We hope East Lothian Council will now move quickly to bring the long-awaited path into use.With hundreds of new homes earmarked for construction on the edge of Gullane, a safe route connecting Drem to the coastal villages is imperative."
We will keep you posted on developments. Follow us on twitter @dgcorepath
Posted 7 years ago # -
"
After careful consideration, the campaign has decided to formally back the landowners' preferred route. This represents a major shift in the direction of our campaign.
"
Don't know the detail of the geography or the the degree of disadvantage of the 'revised route', but this is clearly an important development.
I hope it's a good compromise, certainly highlights difficulty/reluctance to consider compulsory purchase for trivial things like encouraging active travel or providing 'safe routes'.
Posted 7 years ago # -
"difficulty/reluctance to consider compulsory purchase for trivial things like encouraging active travel or providing 'safe routes'."
Yeah. Funny how when it's a road widening or remodelling everyone seems to agree how essential it is and compulsory purchase no problem...
Posted 7 years ago # -
Was at an active travel event yesterday where a woman from Paths for All made exactly the same point - she can spend years piecing together a route and negotiating access agreements with landowners, whereas for something like the A9 they just compulsorily purchase it.
Same issue here in Dumfries - compulsory purchase of a tiny triangle of land that nobody is even using would unlock a tricky barrier to a key route but even bringing it up is akin to suggesting we pave the route with the blood of sacrificed virgins.
Posted 7 years ago # -
"compulsory purchase of a tiny triangle of land that nobody is even using"
Is this 'in process' (with objections?) or is council just going 'too difficult'?
Posted 7 years ago # -
Reacting like startled maiden aunts if it's even suggested. I may suggest it again though now
Posted 7 years ago # -
I have cycled to drem a couple of times there is no shop, bar or nothing to see there, not even a hill, a barren featureless town
Posted 7 years ago # -
I have cycled to drem a couple of times there is no shop, bar or nothing to see there
All the more reason for a decent path to Gullane, then. Useful train station as well.Posted 7 years ago # -
"a barren featureless town"
"Town" is a bit of a misnomer. Even village is a bit generous. It does have a train station...
Posted 7 years ago # -
"It does have a train station..."
In a rational world ELC, TS, SR & S would be keen to fund a path to Gullane.
ELC - fewer cars, less road maintenance
TS - enabling sustainable movement of people
SR - more
customerspassengersS - communities linked
Posted 7 years ago # -
I have cycled to Drem
a couple of times
there is no shop, bar
or nothing to see there
not even a hill
a barren featureless townMore wonderful CCE accidental poetry, @Ed1. Existentially bleak.
Posted 7 years ago # -
"whereas for something like the A9 they just compulsorily purchase it."
I think that's making it sound easier than it actually is. I spoke to a lawyer once involved in the compulsorily purchases for a road widening scheme and there were hundreds of them to work through.
Perhaps that's the difference when road building is involved - the money and resources are there to buy the land.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Useful train station at Drem & lovely cycling nearby.
Posted 7 years ago # -
"I spoke to a lawyer once involved in the compulsorily purchases for a road widening scheme and there were hundreds of them to work through."
Exactly.
So when it's just a small bit of land with one owner...
CEC has a few lawyers (well it used to), no idea if any know about/deal with CP.
I have got the impression over many years that councils avoid CP as much as possible - consequently residents/voters miss out on 'could have beens'.
Posted 7 years ago #
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