Levenmouth drivers could face traffic “carnage” during essential work at a well-used bridge next year.
Motorists may be left with the choice of long queues or a lengthy diversion when the Bawbee Bridge, used by thousands of vehicles a day, is reduced to one lane.
While council officers have yet to decide how traffic will be managed, closing the nearby Iron Bridge to stop people using it as an alternative route is one of the options being examined.
It is feared the Network Rail-owned bridge may not be strong enough to take the volume of traffic likely to use it when the Bawbee Bridge is restricted, but one councillor has predicted “carnage” if it is not kept open.
Labour member Colin Davidson said: “I want to take a stand and say to officers you’re not closing the Iron Bridge under any circumstances.
“I predict that if they close it, it will never open again.”
Another proposal under consideration to cut disruption is the creation of a new road next to East Fife FC’s Bayview Stadium to link with a bridge behind Levenmouth swimming pool.
Mr Davidson believes the idea to be a good one but not at the expense of the Iron Bridge route.
“They should put the additional road in at the docks and also keep the Iron Bridge open so it minimises the impact on the travelling public,” he said.
“There are five roads that converge at the Bawbee Bridge.
“If you’re going from Methil to Leven and don’t want to wait 15 minutes in a queue to cross it, you’ll have to go round by Cameron Hospital and Glen Lyon Road – a detour of 4.2km – if there’s no other route. It’s going to be carnage.”
Fife Council’s senior transportation manager Derek Crowe said the work would involve replacing a weak deck on the section of bridge that crosses the railway.
“There will be some disruption during the construction phase and for that reason we will be carrying out a traffic impact assessment analysis, looking at different options to mitigate the impacts on the travelling public,” he said.
“We have only had some preliminary discussions with local councillors and no decisions have been taken at this stage.
“Once the traffic impact assessment has been completed we will consult with local councillors, including Councillor Davidson, before any final decisions are made on the way forward.”
