Councillors have rejected plans for a new pedestrian crossing in Kirkcaldy, following claims it was only designed to “frustrate” drivers.
David Henderson, the chairman of Kirkcaldy West Community Council, said Fife Council’s plan to construct the crossing on St Brycedale Road would have prevented savvy drivers from avoiding the maligned crossing by the Adam Smith Theatre.
Local councillors met to discuss the planned crossing today and rejected the proposal despite officials urging the Kirkcaldy area committee to overlook two public objections including one from Mr Henderson and proceed with construction.
Ahead of the meeting, the community council chairman had insisted that the proposal was as much about hindering drivers as helping pedestrians.
“It’s frustrating for drivers,” said Mr Henderson. “The backing-up of traffic at the crossroads has never been addressed properly.
“If somebody is driving down that street and somebody else is coming up then cars are already having to stop.
“I’m not sure how they can spend £10,000 on a new junction that is intrinsically unsafe? The community council feels very strongly about this.”
Since it was installed back in 2011, the four-way junction linking St Brycedale Avenue, Bennochy Road, Abbotshall Road and the town centre has been widely loathed by motorists and pedestrians.
As a consequence, nearby side streets have become rat runs for drivers keen to avoid the long queues that can often last for minutes at peak times.
St Brycedale Road is one such street affected by the increase in traffic, but the route is also popular with pedestrians, many of whom are students walking between Fife College and the town centre.
It is thought around £250,000 would be required to remove the lights and reinstate the former roundabout, although the town’s area committee chairman, Councillor Neil Crooks, this year said this would be highly unlikely given the cost.
As well as “frustrating” drivers for trying to avoid the junction, Mr Henderson also claimed the crossing could have hindered police operations, divert funds that could be used for road maintenance and attract pedestrians to a single, potentially dangerous point in the road.
Bob McLellan, head of transport at Fife Council, had said public safety was the priority behind the project.
For more on the decision, see Thursday’s Fife edition of The Courier.