Plans to make Levenmouth roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists

Fife Council was awarded £2.42m from the Scottish government’s new ‘Spaces for People’ fund, which aims to make essential travel and exercise safer during Covid-19.

The programme, which is managed by Sustrans on behalf of the government, is for temporary infrastructure to make it safer for people to walk, cycle or wheel for essential trips and exercise during Covid-19.

Fife Council suggested a number of changes to Sutrans, which has approved around 100 of them.

A number of changes could be made across Fife, such as increasing pedestrian space near primary schools, increasing advertising highlighting the benefit of active travel and cutting back shrubbery on key paths.

A number of localised plans have already been approved in the East Neuk.

These include a temporary cycle lane running through Crail’s High Street and Orchard Park, closing Anstruther’s High Street east to vehicles, reducing speed limits in small villages and increasing pedestrian space on Pittenweem’s Marygate by using traffic cones and removing parking spaces.

“It’s great news that Fife Council has been awarded funding for these schemes in the East Neuk,” said Councillor Linda Holt. “Elie, Crail and Anstruther discussed and approved their schemes, and the measures for Elie’s High Street are to be implemented this week. With shops open since Monday, it is imperative that Fife Council now gets its skates on and puts into action the schemes for safe shopping in Crail and Anstruther as soon as possible.”

A number of proposals have also been put forward for Levenmouth. These include a temporary 20mph speed limit on Wellesley Road and Methilhaven Road, parking removed and a cycle-lane added to Leven High Street, and a pop-up cycleway on Sea Road.

Councillor Colin Davidson praised council officers for securing the funding and suggested that some of the measures be made permanent, including a 20mph speed limit on Largo Road.

“I hope it stays on the Leven side,” he said. “A number of residents have complained to me about motorists speeding past. Anything that will improve safety is good.”

Cllr Davidson said the active travel infrastructure would help tackle the “chronic health issues” in Levenmouth.