The A701 is a major road in Scotland that runs from Dumfries to Edinburgh.
 | |
|---|---|
| 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.svg){kind=small} – A74(M) A708 A72 A721 A703 A6094 A766 A720 A772 A700 A7 |
| Road network | |
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
55°32′12″N 3°24′44″W / 55.5368°N 3.4122°W