A ROAD which was badly damaged during a thunderstorm earlier this month could reopen early in September.

Engineers from BEAR Scotland aim to complete repairs to the A68 near Fala by early September, weather-dependent.

The road, which links East Lothian and Edinburgh to the Scottish Borders, suffered heavy damage during a thunderstorm on the night of August 11-12, with an entire section of the carriageway washed away, as the 20-metre-deep embankment below it failed.

The damaged section of the road is just across the county border in Midlothian.

As a result, of the damage, a full closure of the A68 is in place, with a signed diversion route in operation.

East Lothian Courier:

Andy Thompson, BEAR Scotland’s South East representative, said: “We now have a detailed programme for the remainder of these works.

"We’ve considered how to minimise the timescale for each step and are optimistic that we can reopen the A68 by early September, barring further severe weather or unforeseen issues.

“The repair is being carried out in three phases.

"We’ve already made good progress on the first phase stabilising the site, diverting utilities and putting down initial layers of stone.

"In the second phase, we will complete the 5,000-tonne rock infill to bring the collapsed embankment up to road level.

"The final phase is to complete the rebuild of the road itself, including reinstatement of the roadside barrier, drainage and lining.

“I’m grateful to road users and local communities for their patience while these works continue. Please rest assured we are doing everything in our power to get the A68 reopened as soon as possible and to minimise the disruption caused.”

Progress to date includes clearing and stabilising the site, securing 5,000 tonnes of stone to rebuild the embankment and initial layers of stone being laid down.

Utility companies are also on site to complete the temporary diversion of fibre optic cables to enable the repair.