Councillor's call to review crossing on busy Kirkcaldy road

Kathleen Leslie said she has had several residents get in touch over the crossing which was placed at the foot of Oriel Road, next to the Aldi supermarket on Ferrard Road. It also sits close to the roundabout on one of the busiest routes into town - and that has led to some comments being made about road safety.

The Kinghorn, Burntisland and Western Kirkcaldy Conservative councillor has asked Fife Council to look again at its location - or consider more warning signs to alert drivers to its presence.

She said: “A concern was raised with me a couple of months ago and since then I have had some further comments and feedback on the site of the crossing.

“The crossing point is well used by shoppers to Aldi, the other convenience stores and local housing. However, where traffic enters Oriel Road from the west approach on Forth Avenue there is a worry due to the sharp left turn and the proximity of the pedestrian crossing.”Cllr Leslie said that while the crossing is well known to locals, it may be an issue to anyone visiting town.

“Whilst road users have an absolute responsibility to observe the speed limit that unfortunately, does not always happen and some users of the crossing have expressed concern including someone who is visually impaired.

“I appreciate that the moving of the crossing would bring a significant expense and whilst regular road users will be aware of the crossing, anyone unfamiliar with the area may not be. Perhaps the Council needs to think about better early warning signage being put in place.”Lesley Craig, traffic management lead consultant, said: "We're looking at how we can improve the approach to the Oriel Road crossing by making signage more prominent. The crossing meets current guidance and we've no plans to move it away from where people have always chosen to cross."

Cllr Leslie welcomed the local authority’s response, but said she was keen to hear from locals to get more views on the issue.