A6091

Route

The A6091 used to run between the centres of Galashiels and Newtown St Boswells via the centre of Melrose, providing an east-west link between the A7 and the A68. The modern road serves the same purpose but considerable re-alignment has taken place, so old and new cross at a narrow angle just east of Melrose but otherwise have no point in common. The new road follows closely the trackbed of the North British Railway's Waverley Line over a lot of its length, taking advantage of the ex-railway's straightness and levelness and avoiding the built-up areas en route, but is actually on the trackbed for only two short stretches.

Galashiels – Newtown St Boswells

From the western end of its 5-mile length, the A6091 starts about a mile to the east of Galashiels town centre, on a roundabout junction where the A7 does a 90-degree turn to the right for Selkirk to the south and our road continues the eastward line. It shortly crosses the River Tweed on a new bridge then comes to another roundabout. Here an unclassified road to the left gives access to Tweedbank; the B6360 to the right is for Selkirk via Abbotsford. We go straight on, now multiplexing with the B6360 until the next roundabout in three quarters of a mile, where it leaves on the left for Darnick and Melrose. Sharp left is the other end of the road through Tweedbank, which has taken a northern loop near the Tweed.

We have now joined the route of the Waverley Line, which the A6091 follows almost to its end. Soon we see the entrance to the Borders General Hospital on the right and then pass to the south of Melrose, realising that the town centre is adjacent when we go close to the up platform of the preserved station. Our road is where the down platform was.

Melrose Bypass

Access to Melrose is provided by the B6374 shortly on the left; immediately after this on the right is an unclassified road which used to be the A6091 on its way to Newtown St Boswells. The old road is now closed to motor vehicles part way along.

The modern A6091 is now within a couple of miles of its end, the only intermediate junction being the B6361 for Newstead on the left about half way. The terminus is at a roundabout on the A68. Turn left for Earlston 3 miles to the north, right for Newtown St Boswells 1 mile to the south.

History

The Scottish Ministry of Transport originally intended to number the A6091 as part of the A72. However, the MOT pointed out that this contravened numbering rules by allowing it to enter the '6' zone, and a replacement number had to be quickly allocated instead.

The route originally started on the A7 in the centre of Galashiels. It headed east and crossed the River Tweed before going through the centre of Melrose. It then ran southeastwards via Eildon to join the A68 (now B6398) on the northern edge of Newtown St Boswells.

The former route of the A6091 is now numbered B6374 to the west of the point where old crosses new on the Melrose bypass. The remainder is unclassified, although a half-mile section north of Eildon has now been closed to traffic.