'Dangerous as hell': I cycled this scary Scottish road that campaigners insist must be bypassed

The B1345 belies its lowly number.

The road in East Lothian is busy with a variety of fast-moving vehicles, its sharp bends adding to the jeopardy felt by those cycling.

I rode the route to experience first hand the dangers faced by riders - and why Scotland's longest-running path campaign is still seeking a safer alternative.

Drem-Gullane path campaigner Iain Monk, left, rides with The Scotsman Transport Correspondent Alastair Dalton on the B1345 near Drem | Lisa Ferguson/The Scotsman

The campaign is significant because taking your life into your hands over a one-mile section of the B1345 is the only way to get between Drem Station and the growing village of Gullane other than by bike or on foot.

For 20 years, locals have been lobbying for a separate cycling and walking path between the settlements.

They are three quarters of the way to their goal because the other three miles between the communities comprise quiet roads and off-road paths.

The focus is now trained on that last mile section, north from Drem, with an appeal to landowners to agree to a route that bypasses the busy road on its west side.

Three years ago, a car driver was jailed for seriously injuring a cyclist on one of the bends. Meanwhile, Phil Coll, who lives in Gullane, said: “You can get ‘punishment passes’ where a car driver decides a cyclist has no right to be on the road, so they punish you by passing deliberately too close.”

Campaigners believe there is huge demand for a safe route to the station, both for commuters heading to Edinburgh and visitors from the capital.

Lisa Ferguson/The Scotsman

However, for now, despite the frequent 25-minute service to Edinburgh, the bike racks at Drem Station remain largely empty.

Backers of the campaign include local businesses, such as Tom and Michaela Kitchin, owners of The Bonnie Badger restaurant in Gullane, who said it would be a “great benefit to the local community”.

I cycled the road with Drem-Gullane Path Campaign spokesperson Iain Monk, who has lived in Gullane since 2006. Even on a mid-week lunchtime, it was busy with traffic, but would have been much more so in the mornings and late afternoons. I wouldn’t even think of cycling on it in the dark.

Drivers were perhaps more cautious seeing us riding - legally - side by side in high-vis jackets, but it was still not a pleasant experience.

I worried they might attempt to close-pass us, especially approaching the curves in the road where forward visibility is much reduced. The poor state of the surface made it even worse.

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Mr Monk said: “This road is as dangerous as hell. When we moved here, it was busy in the morning. Now it’s unreal.

“I consider myself an experienced cyclist, but I would have second thoughts about using it. People are racing to get to the A1.

“There is a compelling case for a safe link, taking cyclists and pedestrians away from this main road. It would also be good for people’s health, the environment, and for local businesses in attracting visitors.

Drem-Gullane path campaigner Iain Monk described the B1345 as "dangerous as hell". | Lisa Ferguson/The Scotsman

“There is overwhelming support and it would be a very welcome addition to the existing network of paths between the coastal villages.”

Mr Monk hailed the significance of East Lothian Council leader Norman Hampshire backing the path last month, which he said had been the first explicit such endorsement he had heard - although the local authority said land remained the stumbling block.

Gullane Area Community Council has made the path a priority and has had private talks with one of the landowners involved, Douglas Russell.

Chair Malcolm Duck, a retired restaurateur and former Royal Marine, said: “The path is getting more and more crucial. The backing behind it is massive.

“There is a pretty good head of steam to make this happen. We need to keep pushing for it, firmly but respectfully. A Royal Marine understands what firmly means, and that’s not softly.”

Mr Duck said his talks with the landowner’s agent had been “very positive” and he was waiting to hear back from the landowner.

However, he thought Mr Russell might be “keeping his powder dry” on future use of the land until the council’s next local development plan was published, potentially in the autumn.

In Drem, Alasdair Muir, who represents the village on the community council, said: “A path has been on the cards for a long time and a lot of people want it. Getting from the station to Gullane, about the only way you can do it is by car or by bus.

“The road is just too busy and too dangerous. People go too fast, vehicles are too big and there’s nowhere for cyclists to go, so a path would make a huge difference - and for pedestrians as well.”

Alasdair Muir, who represents Drem on Gullane Area Community Council | Lisa Ferguson/The Scotsman

Gullane resident Chris Holme said: “It would be great to be able to take our grandchildren on a cycle or walk to Drem.

“But you’d need to be crazy to risk going on the last stretch of road into Drem. It was one of the most dangerous in East Lothian 20 years ago, and with increased traffic it’s even worse now.”

East Lothian Ladies Cycling Group said: "The path would help promote confidence and well-being as it will also be used for recreation.”

Dominic Campanile, general manager of The Old Clubhouse bar and restaurant in Gullane, said: “We have seen an increase in customers from Edinburgh travelling by train. It would be brilliant if they could walk or cycle from Drem station.”

East Lothian Council leader Norman Hampshire said despite the local authority’s backing, “we don't have the land available to create that safe route”.

He told the planning committee last month: "We spoke to the landowner, but he has refused to sell the land to the council, so it is something we can't achieve at this time."

The council pointed to a 2022 consultants’ report that concluded all options for a path were “considered unfeasible due to land assembly constraints”.

A response from Mr Russell, who is believed to own land adjacent to the B1345, has been requested.