The funding will support three projects designed to make walking, wheeling, and cycling safer, easier and more accessible across the county. All works are scheduled for completion by March 2026. A total of £464,342 will support works along the A703 and A701 to Easter Bush and New Beeslack High School.

This project will upgrade the pedestrian crossing at the A701/A703 junction to a Toucan Crossing for both pedestrians and cyclists. It will also create new and widened shared-use paths linking Roslin, the new Beeslack High School, and Easter Bush Campus.

These improvements will offer safer routes to school, work, and public transport, contributing towards the longer-term delivery of a fully connected active travel network in the area. A total of £441,128 will fund upgrades to A7/Carrington Road Junction, including a Toucan Crossing.

A new signalised junction with a Toucan Crossing will be installed at A7/Carrington Road. Footways will be widened to create shared-use paths towards Newtongrange, Hardengreen, and Carrington View housing development, with added street lighting for safety. This project will improve connectivity for growing communities and provide safer, more direct routes for pedestrians and cyclists. £314,946 will also improve the Loanhead and Straiton Active Travel Links.

The northern footway along Loanhead Road will be widened for shared use, providing an alternative to on-road cycling between the A701 and Shawfair to Roslin railway path. A new zebra crossing will be installed to improve safety for users crossing Edgefield Relief Road. Works will then upgrade the Straiton Pond Path with a new surface and lighting, making it an all-weather route. These changes will link Straiton Retail Park, Edgefield Industrial Estate, and housing areas to the wider active travel network in the area.

Cabinet secretary for transport, Fiona Hyslop, said: “I’m pleased that Midlothian Council is now progressing these ambitious projects with over £1.2 million from the Scottish Government’s Active Travel Infrastructure Fund.

“By improving crossings, widening paths, and enhancing lighting, it will make it safer and easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle. These improvements will then strengthen connections between schools, workplaces and key services in the community, helping more people choose active travel for everyday journeys.

“To help local authorities across the country to deliver on their ambitions, the Scottish Government is investing over £188m in active and sustainable transport in 2025–26. In doing so, we’re helping more people to save money, improve health, and reduce emissions.”

Councillor Colin Cassidy, cabinet member for transport, added: “This investment will make a real difference to how people travel in Midlothian.

“By creating safer, well-lit shared paths and upgrading key junctions, we’re improving connections between local communities and making it easier to reach schools, jobs, public transport and areas to enjoy nature too.

“These projects will encourage more people to walk, wheel, and cycle as part of their everyday journeys in Midlothian.”