10/21/2026
🚨 Drivers in Scotland are using a traffic-free cycle and walking path as a shortcut around roadworks, and the community group that built it has issued a public warning.
The A702 at Penpont, a village in southwest Scotland, is closed for road reconstruction and drainage work, with a signed diversion via the B729 and A76. The Keir, Penpont and Tynron Development Trust says a "small minority" of motorists have instead driven onto the active travel path that runs alongside the road to neighboring Thornhill.
"The Active Travel Path is NOT a road," the trust posted, warning that using it as a detour "puts vulnerable pedestrians, children, and cyclists at serious risk."
The $3.1 million (£2.3m) path was built in stages to create a 2.5-mile (4km) traffic-free link between the two villages, separated from the road by a grass verge, fences, and hedges.
Development officer Michelle Johnston said driving any unauthorized vehicle on it "is strictly prohibited by law." She thanked residents who challenged drivers, and said civil engineers have since added extra safety measures.
📸 Keir, Penpont and Tynron Development Trust
