East Lothian Council is due to begin work in mid-November on a key path upgrade in Wallyford, with completion expected to take around six weeks.

The project involves installing a new tarmac path between Wallyford Primary School and Albert Place. Critically, the path will include new lighting to ensure it is useable throughout the year, providing a safer, more inclusive link for the community.

The path will primarily follow the route of existing desire lines and is intended to connect the surrounding residential area with the park beside Albert Place and the school.

The path is supported by funding from Transport Scotland through the charity Walking Scotland's Ian Findlay Path Fund. The council is also contributing funds from its Active Travel Infrastructure budget.

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Councillor Colin McGinn, East Lothian Council's Cabinet Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing and Sport, Countryside and Leisure, emphasised the need for the upgrade: "Enhanced active travel and off-road path networks are needed in Wallyford which has seen sizeable population growth in recent years due to house building."

The project is strongly backed by the community, including the Wallyford Primary School Parents and Carers Council. Willie Gordon from the council said the new path will be used by the school walking bus, many families, and others accessing the High School, Learning Campus, and Community Centre.

This upgrade is the latest in a series of travel improvements delivered by the council, following the recently opened Wallyford Bing path and work on the long-established route connecting the village and the historic Fa'side Castle. Work to upgrade the main section of the Fa'side route was completed last month, and the lower section from the A1 to Mason Way is due to be upgraded in the coming months.