Carfraemill Roundabout

The roundabout as seen from the hotel

Carfraemill Roundabout is the junction of the A68 and the A697 near Oxton, Lauder. It is a large, three arm roundabout set in fields which was built in 1960 to avoid a former TOTSO T junction on the A68. Each of the three arms has two approach lanes for turning traffic and a wide exit lane, while the circulating carriageway is unmarked but also wide enough for two vehicles. Although the A697 is still signed as a primary route, it is no longer a trunk route within Scotland.

History

The 0.62 mile diversion to bypass the former junction at the Hotel was opened to traffic in the year to 31 March 1961 per the 1960-61 Scottish Roads Report. It was in progress in the 1959-60 Report. It may have early opened in 1961. Prior to this the two routes met at a crossroads directly outside the hotel. This junction still survives, the unclassified road to the north remaining open to traffic, while the old A68 line to the south is still passable, it has the air of a farm road, and a drop kerb onto the A68 at the southern end. The layout of the old junction and old maps both give the impresion that it was a TOTSO for the A68, with priority given to the straight through line of A697 to A68 bound for Edinburgh. Indeed, a block of farm buildings or similar is depicted where the hotel car park now lies.

The original junction at the Hotel shown in 1956

The diversion and junction in 1963

Routes

Route	To	Notes
A68	Edinburgh, Dalkeith
A68	Jedburgh, Newcastle, Lauder
A697	Coldstream, Greenlaw, Duns, Kelso