Thursday March 5th 2026
Burnhead crossroads, where the B-road from Stoneyburn crosses the busy A706. A bridge is planned for this point on the footpath/cyclepath.
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
Plans for a footpath and cycleway to connect West Lothian’s “Island Village” have undergone a redraw.
The new plans for the path between Stoneyburn and Fauldhouse three miles west are set to go before councillors for approval in the next two months.
But the footpath long sought by the villagers remains a distant two years away because of complex land negotiations.
Stoneyburn residents have campaigned for the last five years for a footpath to connect it to Fauldhouse where the nearest GP and shopping facilities are.
Stoneyburn residents have long described their village as an “island.”
Despite lying at the almost geographical centre of West Lothian Stoneyburn has few bus connections and few pavements beyond the village boundaries, making walking hazardous along narrow and winding B-roads which are heavy with undergrowth and hedging in the summer.
The path will cost around £2m, the bulk of that absorbed by a bridge to cross the A706 road- a main road from Lanarkshire into West Lothian.
In a report to the Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley Local area Committee Graeme Burton, Design Engineering Manager, said that council arborists had judged that the original line of the path between Stoneyburn and the A701 would result in too many trees lost.
The new plan has moved the path further south, away from the road.
The report added: “As a new planning application was required, officers also looked to revise the bridge design crossing the A706. The new planning application, any compulsory purchase order processes, detailed design of the bridge and the section from the A706 eastwards to Stoneyburn will progress in parallel and at this time it is difficult to determine a timescale for possible construction as there are numerous variables, however it could potentially commence construction in around 2and a half years time.”
The report concluded: “Officers will continue to liaise with the planning department as required for the Stoneyburn to A706 section of the cycleway. Appointment of a contractor to complete the construction works for the Fauldhouse to A706 is expected in the coming weeks, with an anticipated construction start in late spring 2026.”
The council plans to apply for funding for the project from Transport Scotland for the 2028/29 for the Stoneyburn side of the path.
Chairing the meeting, Councillor Craig Meek said: “I thought it was important that we had this report coming back. I appreciate the work that has been undertaken. There have been some hiccoughs along the way.”
Councillor Pauline Clark said: “We have been waiting a long time for this. Hopefully this time it will actually come to fruition. I’m looking forward to the next time it’s presented to us I’ll have a lot more questions.”
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