Network Rail’s plans to close the main road through Thornton for more than five months will be put before the community tonight (June 10).

The company’s representatives will return to Thornton Public Hall to host a drop-in session which starts at 6:00pm, and is likely to draw another big turnout.

It comes just days before Network Rail begin work on the rail bridge which is a key part of its £311million project to electrify the Fife Circle line.

Its first proposal to shut the road entirely for 14 months - diverting all traffic to the A92 - met with a huge backlash, and forced a re-think.

The packed community meeting which forced a rethink of Network Rail's plans (Pic: Fife Free Press)

placeholder image — The packed community meeting which forced a rethink of Network Rail's plans (Pic: Fife Free Press)

Plan B has not won full support from politicians or local residents and businesses as work gets underway on June 20.

Network Rail has got the go-ahead from Fife Council to operate single lane closures from next week until October 18, when the entire road will be shut until March 2027, and then a single lane will operate again until the end of the works next July.

The compromise plan was outlined at a community liaison meeting in the town last week, and will now go before the community tonight.

Network Rail has already been held to account over the way it has handled the matter which led to 175 people packing a drop-in session and forcing the temporary pausing of the project.

Criticism has centred on poor communication and lack of mitigation in place to support local businesses and ease the impact on residents.

Network Rail has acknowledged the disruption the work will cause, and said: “We remain committed to working with the local community across the period, and to keeping the programme under regular review, with a focus on reducing timelines and impacts further if at all possible.”