Cupar residents still waiting on light replacement after four years

The residents say that they’re still waiting for a lighting column to be installed on the west side of the street four years after the rest were replaced by more energy-efficient columns.

And they claim it’s so dark that they have to walk down the middle of the road in order to see where they’re going.

As the nights begin to draw in, their case has been taken up by Cupar Councillor Karen Marjoram, who said: “I have had numerous meetings and site visits with various Fife Council officers over the years, including night time visits to survey the light output.

“I have also been on night visits with local police officers to assess the safety aspect of the unlit area.

“Along with the police, I am of the opinion that lighting is totally inadequate and have asked Fife Council officials to replace the lighting column so we don’t have this dark area.

“This will allow people to walk down the pavement and not have to walk down the middle of the road so they can see as this, obviously, has implications for their safety.”

Councillor Marjoram continued: “A survey of residents, which clearly showed many were unhappy about the situation, was carried out but nothing has been done since – while I am still awaiting a response to my suggestions that, if money is an issue, funding for the additional lighting column could come from the Cupar locality budget.

“I fear that the views of residents, the police and myself are being ignored by Fife Council officials who believe they are the experts, therefore they ‘know best’!”

Gary Thomson, Fife Council’s service manager for roads lighting, said: “A few residents have raised concerns regarding the lighting levels, yet in two separate on-site lighting level surveys it was found that the lights complied with the required lighting standards. A Street Lighting Resident Satisfaction Survey was also carried out in Newtown during November 2015 and showed no opinion diversity from that encountered elsewhere in Fife.

“Site measurements have demonstrated that the lighting meets the required standards, the street is not subject to dimming and the satisfaction survey shows the majority of residents in Newtown have no great concerns.”