A7 Broomholm, south of Langholm - road re-opening

The section of the A7 at Broomholm, south of Langholm, which has been closed since torrential rain washed away the embankment earlier this month, is expected to re-open at 6pm today.

Essential repairs have been completed ahead of schedule, with Transport Scotland and its operating company, BEAR Scotland, working with a team of specialist contractors around the clock since July 10 to complete the works in time for Friday July 25, Langholm Common Riding.

Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Stewart Stevenson said:

"Not only is the re-opening of the A7 at Auchenrivock excellent news for the local community, it is a real boost for the tourist industry and the economy of the South East of Scotland as a whole.

"I am delighted that the 24/7 approach adopted immediately by Transport Scotland and its operating company BEAR Scotland after the road was damaged two weeks ago has delivered such speedy results.

"The Scottish Government has been very aware of local concern about the closure of this vital route and I visited the scene last week to inspect progress. It was always our firm intention to partially open the road to traffic before the Common Riding this weekend if at all possible, but local people will be delighted that our engineers have managed to make the A7 fully available to road users in time for this important event."

Before the repair and restoration work could begin in earnest, large amounts of debris and trees had to be removed from the slope below the carriageway.

The next phase involved approximately 10,000 tonnes of rock fill being delivered to the site to stabilise the embankment. The final phase was the reconstruction of an estimated 85 metres of carriageway and the installation of a new drainage system and safety barrier.

The repair to the slope supporting the A7 trunk road above the River Esk is substantial and the road will continue to be monitored for a period of time. It is possible that some minor works may be required in the future; however, the road will remain open following the Langholm Common Riding.

BEAR Scotland’s Director for the South East, John Murphy, said:

"Together with Transport Scotland, we have made every effort, including working 24 hours-a-day, to have the road repaired and re-opened as soon as possible.

"We have also ensured local residents and their elected representatives have been kept up to date with the progress of the work.

"We are, of course, well aware of the impact the closure has had on the local community and we thank everyone for their patience and understanding during these essential roadworks. Naturally, we are pleased the road is open in time for such an important local event as the Common Riding."

As normal, there will be temporary closures of sections of the A7 in the area on Friday for the Langholm Common Riding. These closures will be implemented and controlled by Dumfries & Galloway Police at approximately the following times: -

8am until 9.30am
10am until 11am
8.30pm until 10pm