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The construction site of the new A702 roundabout © Cuckoo

Disruption as Local Roads to Close

Commuters are being warned to expect disruption into December with two main routes closing for utility works.

Scottish Water and SGN (Scottish Gas Networks) are set to cause significant upheaval from next week by closing both Cuiken Terrace and Mauricewood Road to through traffic.

For five days from Monday 21 November, Cuiken Terrace will be closed to facilitate the closing stage of SGN’s upgrade to the gas network. The road will be closed at the junction to John Street, to “ensure the safety of our engineers and the public”. A diversion will be signposted for the duration of the works via Queensway and Rullion Road. SGN have been working along Cuiken Terrace since July 25 to undertake a £360,000 upgrade to the gas network. Whilst temporary traffic lights have featured at various stages throughout the works, this is the first, and only, closure.

Additionally, Mauricewood Road will be closed between Belwood Road and the A702 from Thursday 24 November for approximately three weeks. The closure is a required stage in Scottish Water and Farran’s preparatory works to enable the construction of the planned A702/Mauricewood Road roundabout. During the closure, a major water pipe will be diverted across the road. Two diversions will be signposted, via the A701 and Bush Loan Road or the A702 and A766 (Carlops Road), however Lowrie’s Den will serve as a local unsignposted diversion.

A Scottish Water spokesperson said:

In order to construct a new roundabout we are required to divert a section of water main in Penicuik.

This work requires a small closure at the junction of Mauricewood Road and the A702 which will start on Thursday 24 November and last roughly three weeks.

A council-approved diversion will be in place via the A701 during this time and more details on the project can be found on our website by searching ‘Mauricewood Road’

We thank customers for their patience and will issue an update in due course.

Mauricewood Road is set to reopen by December 15 but a second closure to complete the water main works will be required in January. Another closure, outside the Taylor Wimpey development, is likely in December to initiate the construction of a roundabout into the new housing estate. Once construction begins on the new £4.7m A702 roundabout, there will be significant disruption to the A702 trunk route for months, accompanied by additional roadworks down both Mauricewood Road and Belwood Road.

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