Balmullo bypass officially opened

SIR Menzies Campbell CBE, Liberal Democrat MP for north-east Fife and former leader of the UK Lib Dem party, joined 12 Balmullo primary school children last week to open the new 0.75km Balmullo bypass.

Constructed by Ennstone Thistle at a cost of £1 million, the new road means traffic from nearby Balmullo Quarry no longer has to pass through Balmullo village, near St Andrews, and crucially past the local primary school. 


‘This bypass was delivered with the full support of the people of Balmullo, who have always been incredibly understanding of our operations,’ said Alan Mackenzie, chief executive officer of Ennstone Thistle. ‘It therefore gives us particular pleasure to deliver this new bypass for them.’

‘Since taking over the quarry we have recognized that lorries having to drive through the village was unsustainable. We have worked hard to find a solution to bypass the village in the most environmentally acceptable way possible.’

Local councillor Maggie Taylor said: ‘I am delighted that the road is complete and even more delighted that the primary school area will now be free of lorries. Thanks have to go to Ennstone Thistle from the residents of Balmullo, who can now relax knowing that many large vehicles are not going past their doors.’
 


Balmullo Quarry, one of only two sites in Scotland that extracts red felsite, produces an average of 150,000 tonnes a year. The new access road, which was incorporated in the quarry’s new planning extension, will remain in use for the life of the site.