B720

The B720 is a short link road near Canonbie in eastern Dumfriesshire.

The western end of the B720

The route starts at a TOTSO on the B6357 at Greenrigg, where that road turns right for the direct route to Canonbie. The B720 then heads northeastwards across fields, passing a few buildings but reaching no settlements of any size. After passing through a patch of woodland, it crests a slight rise, after which there is a long gentle descent into the valley of the River Esk to end at a realigned staggered crossroads on the A7.

History

Today the B720 follows much the same route it was originally allocated to in 1922. It has been slightly shortened by the construction of the A7 Canonbie bypass in 1984, as before that it continued ahead to meet the old A7 just west of the Gilnockie Bridge over the River Esk. Then, on completion of the bypass, the B720 was extended south along the old line of the A7. After crossing the river it bore right then followed the valley to Canonbie, where it crossed the river again on Canonbie Bridge in a short multiplex with the B6357. After running through the village centre it continued downstream to reach the southern end of the bypass just north of the English border.

However, only 18 months after the bypass was opened a landslip caused part of the new section of the B720 just south of Gilnockie Bridge to fall into the Esk. In 1987 the decision was made to permanently close the road to through traffic, while maintaining the southern end for property access and providing a footpath at the landslip site, cutting the B720 back to its present eastern end. The part of the old A7 south of Canonbie retained Class II status with a single digit added to its number and is now the B7201.

The 1922 MOT Road List defines this route as: Junction with A7 near Holehouse - Junction with B6357 near Greenrig