A FIFE opencast company is to continue transporting thousands of tonnes of coal by road for at least another five months following a delay in the creation of a rail halt.

The facility at the massive opencast coal development at Earlseat Farm, near East Wemyss, was due to be completed by January and would have allowed Hall Construction to export coal by rail.

However, negotiations with Network Rail—who were to design and construct the rail loading point—hit the buffers, meaning it won’t be ready until September at the earliest.

When planning permission was granted for the opencast site in November 2003, it was on condition the rail halt was completed within a year to transport 4000 tonnes of coal per week.

However, councillors on Fife Council’s central development committee have agreed to vary that condition and extend the deadline.

They have also agreed that Hall Construction can extract up to 7000 tonnes of coal per week for a temporary period to meet demand.

That will inevitably mean more lorries on the road, starting from 8 am instead of the previous 9.30 am.

In a report to the committee, planning officer Alan Seath said, “It has to be accepted there is no Fife market need being met in this case.

“The mine continues to operate without any adverse environmental consequences.

“It is recognised that a more sustainable form of development, in transportation terms, needs to be pursued and at this time there is no need to doubt the applicants’ commitment to creating a rail halt.”

He added, “Whilst the strictest terms of the policies are being breached, and it is disappointing that the rail facility has not been developed, on balance there is merit in allowing the mine to continue operating in its existing form to allow the operator time to continue negotiations with Network Rail and meet the market demand.”

Meanwhile, the planning department is to write to Network Rail to urge them to find a solution to the problem and create the halt.