Roadworks 'not on priority list'

Mr Purvis said the improvements should be on the priority list

An MSP has criticised ministers after road improvement works in Leadburn were removed from a priority list.

In the past decade three motorists have lost their lives on the stretch of road where the A701, A703 and A6094 meet.

Lib Dem Jeremy Purvis said a government funding shake-up had seen Midlothian Council take the junction off its urgent road improvement programme.

Studies into possible safety measures began in 2007, with the introduction of a roundabout the most favoured option.

Mr Purvis said the blame lay with the Scottish Government which, he claimed, had diverted funding from the transport body Sestrans.

Following the fatal accident in 2005, studies were undertaken into possible improvements and the introduction of a roundabout was the favoured option Russell Imrie Midlothian Council

"There's no longer a capital budget for that grouping - it's been divided up to each individual council," he said.

"Junctions such as this, which is on the border between the Borders and Midlothian, now seem to be falling between two stools.

"It's made me very angry because the funding had been secured and the engineering works had already been planned."

He said locals would be furious at the decision.

Councillor Russell Imrie of Midlothian Council said Leadburn junction was one of a number of projects the authority had sought to progress.

He said the council was aware of one fatality at the junction in the last decade which was found not to have been caused by the road design.

Layout improvements

"Following the fatal accident in 2005, studies were undertaken into possible improvements and the introduction of a roundabout was the favoured option," he said.

"This was included as one of four Midlothian schemes in the SEStran capital projects delivery programme.

"Meantime, the council has carried out layout improvements to the junction to improve the sightline of vehicles exiting from the A6094."

He added that the council continued to review and monitor the ways it could promote the Leadburn project.