Hundreds back petition calling for improvements to ‘dangerous’ section of Fife cycle path

It was started by Dr Lydia Cole and the St Andrews Space for Cycling group and presented to this month’s meeting of North East Fife Area Committee for councillors to consider options for improvements and safety measures.

The cycle path forms part of National Cycle Network Route 1. It also connects travellers to the University of St Andrews Eden Campus, the railway station, and more. Although the first two thirds are segregated from traffic, the final third brings cyclists and pedestrians onto a narrow, barrier-less path adjacent to a 50mph road – one which Councillor Jane Ann Liston (Lib-Dem for St Andrews) called the “second busiest road in Fife”.

The petition said: “In strong winds, which are increasingly common, cyclists risk being blown into oncoming traffic on one side or down a steep bank into fields on the other.” Other petitioners called the path a “mess” that “needs to be fixed”.

According to Dr Cole, the main issues are the speed of the traffi1, the separation distance between cyclists and vehicles, and the narrow width of the path. Limited markings, poor surfacing, and driveways that blindly turn out into the path are also part of the problem.

“The speed of traffic along that road is 50 mph minimum along this section, and the distance between cyclists on the path and traffic on the road is less than the mandatory 1.5 metres – especially if you’ve got vehicles with overhanging parts such as caravans,” she told the committee.

Councillor Robin Lawson (Conservative) said the petition was supported by all four St Andrews councillors who are “very much in favour" of improvements to enhance safety along the "very dangerous route”.

“I had cause to cycle that path through to Leuchars at night just over a week ago, and it was not a pleasant experience," Cllr Liston added. "It was not helped by the wheelie bins being out and the fact it was narrow and I worried about falling into the main road. The traffic on that road has incidentally gone up by 1,000 vehicles a day since 2001”

The area committee report fully acknowledged that “the cycle track does not meet modern design guidance”.

Ideally, petitioners want to see the council create a brand new, segregated cycle path. However, they are also asking for interim solutions, such as resurfacing, speed reductions, or barriers.

These are all on Fife Council’s radar, and officers promised to bring a list of options back to the committee.

Nonetheless, options for improving it are limited by property rights. Initial inspections also suggest that it would not be safe to widen the cycle path into the roadway space because of traffic speeds. The cycle path is also earmarked for resurfacing in 2025.