Call for funding to make Standing Stane a dual-carriageway

The motion, to be put in front of the Levenmouth Area Committee next month, will ask the Scottish Government to look at giving funding to upgrade the A915, from the B930 junction to the Redhouse Roundabout in Kirkcaldy, to a dual-carriageway, or funding for a feasibility study, or other safety improvements.

The motion also asks that other safety improvements, such as speed cameras and a crash barrier, be installed along the road.

The motion will be put forward by Cllr Ryan Smart, seconded by Cllr David Graham.

The former said the request is not to undermine or replace other transport priorities, such as the Levenmouth Rail Link.

The motion comes just over a month after a man died in a crash on the road on Hogmanay. Two teenagers also died following a crash on Standing Stane back in November.

“I think the Standing Stane has been an issue for years and it is about time we, as local councillors, try to tackle this,” explained Cllr Smart.

“When the Scottish Government keeps cutting council funding, the only way to really tackle it is to ask the Scottish Government to put extra funding forward specifically for this project and actually do something about it.

“We can’t keep losing lives and causing the people of East Wemyss a huge amount of bother each time something happens on the Standing Stane, and we’re directing thousands of cars through the villages.

“It’s not fair on the villages.”

Cllr Colin Davidson, who is backing his Labour colleagues’ motion, said the amount of traffic on the road was becoming “unmanageable”.

“There’s also a safety issue that we’ve failed to address,” he added. “Politicians need to accept that this road is past its sell-by date and needs to be upgraded.

“They need to step up and provide some funding or at least give us funding for a feasibility study.”

“The safety of the road users has to be paramount but at the same time if the Government was looking at connecting the road directly to the Redhouse Roundabout, this would see massive improvements to congestion which at present is a nightmare at the Gallatown roundabout at peak times,” added Cllr Graham.

Councillor John O’Brien has previously called the speed limit to be reduced on the road.