CONTROVERSIAL plans to reduce the speed limit on a major East Lothian road so that a cycle path can be built have been put on hold.

East Lothian Council had planned to reduce the speed on the A199 from the national limit of 60mph to 40mph as part of an 'active freeway' project linking communities along its route.

More than 850 people signed a petition opposing the speed change after it was announced in March and there was criticism of the public consultation held ahead of the decision, with many complaining that they were unaware of the plans.

READ MORE: Hundreds sign petition against 40mph speed limit plans on A199

Now, as the local authority announced the start of the first phase of its freeway, it has been revealed that the plans for the road, which is the former A1, have been set aside.

A council spokesperson said: “While a 40mph limit was previously a requirement of funding for the active travel scheme being proposed for the A199, the Scottish Government is now reviewing the way it funds active travel.

“We are looking out for other opportunities for funding for our proposed wider scheme and will subsequently establish whether a 40mph limit is required on the A199, taking into account funding criteria and feedback received from partners and the community.”

The freeway is part of a larger proposal to create what the council describes as a “high-quality commuter cycling and walking link connecting Dunbar-East Linton-Haddington-Gladsmuir-Macmerry-Tranent-Musselburgh along the route of A199”.

In March this year, the council’s Labour administration cabinet had unanimously backed the plans to cut the speed on the A199 to 40mph.

At the time, elected members were told that funds from the Scottish Government to support the project were subject to the reduced speed limit being part of the project.

Its spokesperson said that the £350,000 used for the East Linton work, which will see a new segregated path created, would support its “longer-term ambitions for the A199”.

The A199 has been used as a diversion for vehicles in bad weather, after a number of lorries were previously blown over on a bridge on the A1 between Haddington and Dunbar during high winds.

Despite the decision to shelve the speed reduction plans, work on the first phase of the freeway began this week in East Linton.

The council said that the first stage of the “repurposing of the A199” to create a shared use path was under way, with work to take an on-road section of National Cycle Network Route 76, which currently runs along Mill Wynd in the village, and create a segregated active travel path.

Crossing points will also be improved, including across the A199 between Lauder Place and Brae Heads Loan.