Kirkcaldy High Street: Traders voice concerns over five-day road closure

Their comments come after the road at Whytescauseway to the junction with the High Street was closed on Wednesday morning.

Signs at the roadside are informing drivers and pedestrians the street will be shut for five days and according to the Roadworks Scotland website, the road has been shut to allow Openreach to carry out works to clear a duct blockage.

Openreach Limited is a company wholly owned by BT plc and it is responsible for maintaining telephone cables, ducts, cabinets and exchanges that connect nearly all homes and businesses to the national broadband and telephone network.

One of the traders affected is Puddledub butcher’s.

Manager Dave Gold said: “The first we knew of this road closure was seeing the signs this morning. We should have been informed.

“It has definitely affected footfall. We have been a lot quieter today with less than half the customers we normally have. Deliveries can’t get access and waste can’t get uplifted.”

The owners of another business, Planet Organica, said they haven’t seen a significant impact on footfall so far, but raised concerns about access for deliveries and waste uplifts.

Some high street residents have also reported no vehicle access to their homes unless they move cones blocking entrances.

An Openreach spokesperson said: “Roadworks can be needed for various engineering reasons, often to improve broadband for local people and businesses.

"We work with the relevant authorities and follow statutory requirements. We always try to minimise disruption and we’re sorry for any inconvenience while works are carried out.”