Councillors embark on road trip to see poor state of road signs in north-east Fife

Johnny Tepp, chair of the North East Fife area committee, and Altany Craik, roads and transportation spokesperson, encountered road signs that had fallen down, been twisted to face the wrong way, were rusted, and in mid collapse.

Councillor Tepp (Bridgehead, Lib Dems), raised the issue at a recent meeting of the full council, asking how many signs were damaged, and how repairs were being handled.They then followed-up with a trip around the area to get an up to date picture.

Councillor Tepp said: “On just one of our major roads, we observed numerous issues: missing signs, fallen signs rusted through at the base, signs mid-collapse, leaning signs about to fall, twisted signs facing the wrong way, damaged signs possibly impacted by vehicles or storms, faded signs that were unreadable, and signs obscured by dirt or vegetation.

“We agreed that this situation is unacceptable and indicates that transportation managers need to refocus on the importance of signage and road markings, which we believed were vital for road safety."

Cllr Tepp said drivers in north-east Fife were “all too familiar” with the “unacceptable state of road signs and road lining” and urged the council to “address these concerns promptly.”

He called for a tangible improvement plan, and invited Cllr Craik to join him on a road trip now - and a follow-up in six months to assess progress.

Councillor Craik said:”Following our trip Councillor Tepp and I met with the head of roads and transportation to discuss options to ensure that improvements are made.

“There are definite staffing shortages in key areas, however, so a planned approach to delivery will need to be the focus going forward. Previous years extra investment has been mainly in the road carriageway and that is bearing dividends but signs and lines need to be addressed too. Between Councillor Tepp and myself we will be working to see tangible improvements in the coming months."

Cllr Tepp acknowledged the on-going effort to secure extra funding for road improvements, adding: “Every year during this administration, we have collaborated with Labour to find extra funds for our roads. We believe that Fifers deserve better, and we are pleased that the transportation spokesperson agrees that we must see tangible improvements for the money allocated. Currently, we are not creating a good impression for visitors or ensuring a safe environment."

Road lining was also a significant topic during the road trip and a new lining machine was part of the investment in fleet that was signed off in February.

Councillor Tepp stated: "Vehicle breakdowns have been a factor in the poor state of road lining. The ordering of a new lining vehicle is an immediate strategic priority. I find it hard to understand how the current situation was allowed to arise. We have certainly been reporting problems and the lack of improvement meant that we had to make an issue about this at the full council meeting

"We are grateful for their hard work but we must remind managers that road signs and lines must now see a greater focus too. There are too many broken, twisted and missing signs and we must see an improvement.

“Cllr Craik has agreed to repeat the road trip six months after our initial trip, and we hope and expect to see real improvements being delivered where they are needed by the end of the year. The current situation cannot be allowed to continue. If there are not significant improvements the administration will need to provide a convincing explanation for the continuing lack of progress."