en A701 road

A701
A701
Route information
Length	71 mi (114 km)
Major junctions
South end	Dumfries; 55°04′17″N 3°36′39″W / 55.0714°N 3.6109°W
North end	Edinburgh; 55°56′21″N 3°10′46″W / 55.9391°N 3.1794°W
Location
Country	United Kingdom
Constituent country	Scotland
Primary; destinations	A780; A75; – A74(M); A708; A72; A721; A703; A6094; A766; A720; A772; A700; A7
Road network
	Roads in the United Kingdom; Motorways; A and B road zones;

The A701 is a major road in Scotland that runs from Dumfries to Edinburgh.

Route

The A701 leaves Dumfries and travels north to meet the A74(M) east of Beattock. It then passes beneath the A74(M) before continuing to the north-east towards Moffat and ultimately Edinburgh.

The road can be an alternative to the A7 or A702 routes to Edinburgh from the A74(M) and M6. It is signposted as a scenic route to Edinburgh from the motorway. The A701 is popular with motorcyclists and passes close to the edge of the Devil's Beef Tub.^[1] It runs also parallel with the former Talla Railway for several miles.^{[citation needed]}

A relief road for a stretch of the A701 running between Penicuik and Edinburgh has a been proposed and is being phased.^[2]^[3] The decision has been contested for many years, as the bypass will form a bottle neck back into the current road, and also will cut through an important wildlife corridor, a woodland which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.^{[citation needed]}

References

^ "Top Ten Motorcycle Routes in Scotland". BikeSocial. 22 February 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
^ Oliver, Derek (2 September 2022). "Project Update: A701 Relief Road and A702 Spur Road". Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal Joint Committee. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
^ Anderson, Kevin (1 March 2024). "A701 Relief Road and A702 Spur Road – Phasing" (PDF). Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal Joint Committee. Retrieved 4 June 2024.