Speed limit cut on Fife road where ‘serious accident waiting to happen’

Members of Fife Council’s Glenrothes area committee agreed to the promotion of a traffic regulation order which will see limits on Strathore Road cut to 30mph and 40mph.

In March, a petition was presented to committee members asking for something done after 13 accidents had taken place near Redford Cottages since 2015.

One resident, Paul Casaldine, said it was a “serious accident or fatality waiting to happen.”

Eva Martinez, from Fife Council’s roads and transportations, explained the proposals to reduce speed limits.

“It is currently subject to the national speed limit” she said. “Following a recent housing development, 30 mph signage was installed by the developer - however the formal traffic regulation order was never promoted at the time.

“In addition, there were concerns regarding driver behaviour near the railway bridge west of Thornton.

“To address these, we propose that the existing advisory 30mph is formalised and the national speed limit section is reduced to 40mph.

“These measures are intended to improve road safety and encourage gradual speed reduction and support better compliance with existing 20mph zone in Thornton itself.”

Councillor Altany Craik (Glenrothes West and Kinglassie, Labour) said changing the speed limit was a “first step.”

He added: “I had expected to see some form of interventions we were going to make – I am hoping they come quickly. We are not without options on how to slow them down but this is a first step.”

Councillor Lynda Holton (Glenrothes and Thornton, SNP) welcomed the proposals.

“This will be a deterrent and some people will adhere to it,” she said. “I have spoken to the petitioners who live on Stathore Road and they have spoken to the local traffic police who have said they will seek to monitor the area.

“They recognise that they have had to deal with so many accidents on that road and they are keen to see speed reduction in place as well.”