No plans to trial 20mph speed limits in Fife towns

Cllr Jane Ann Liston asked Cllr Altany Craik, convenor of the Economy, Tourism, Strategic Planning and Transportation Committee, if 20mph speed limits could be introduced as a trial, following the lead of the Scottish Borders Council.

The local authority is to implement trial 20mph speed zones throughout the town centres in Galashiels, Eyemouth and Peebles, which Cllr Liston noted were of a similar size to St Andrews, Cupar and Anstruther.

However, she was left “rather disappointed” when Cllr Craik told her, and the other councillors at last week’s full council meeting, that there are no plans to do so.

However, he did note plans for temporary 20mph speed limits in Cupar town centre, as part of the Spaces for People project.

Cllr Liston said an elderly cyclist had been involved in an accident on one of the town centre roads just days before the meeting, adding that it might have been avoided with a 20mph speed limit.

“I hope we will be able to revisit this,” she added.

However, Cllr Craik responded: “We’ve found when having our consultation meetings in St Andrews on what implementations of Spaces for People we should do in St Andrews, it has been a mixed picture of support and opposition.

“I don’t accept that we should run around making Cupar, St Andrews and Anstruther 20mph.

“That’s an area for area committees, working with our transportation people to decide if there is a need that can be justified to road safety as well as other factors.”