Fife Council senior managers met with local business people today to discuss ways to further improve access to local stores and businesses.
While ways to further accelerate the roadworks are being explored it was noted that traffic is moving well which is welcome to help maintain footfall to local stores and businesses during the period of the nearby roadworks.
Councillor Altany Craik, Spokesperson for Finance, Economy and Strategic Planning and senior transportation managers met with managers from the Asda St Leonards Store to discuss how they can best work together to maintain local business while improving the road network.
John Mitchell, Head of Roads and Transportation Services said: “First and foremost I want to assure people that traffic is now moving well through the roadworks, people are accessing the local shops and we are looking to accelerate the works where possible.
“Today we have been reassuring Asda representatives that we are here to support the local community, stores and businesses. We have been listening to their views to explore options to further accelerate the improvements with a view to minimising the works and helping businesses. We are reviewing the work to date and looking to see if there are better ways to complete the remainder of the roadworks to help the travelling public and shoppers.
“Traffic movement around Bothwell Garden roundabout is moving well and the message from local shops and businesses is clear – they’re open as usual and waiting for you.
Stephen Rea, Asda’s Senior Director, said: “We were pleased to meet representatives from the Council to discuss how the delivery of the roadworks can be improved to avoid unnecessary disruption for Asda customers and colleagues, and we will remain in close contact as the plans develop.
"Like the other local businesses in the area, Asda St Leonards store remains open and accessible, and we look forward to welcoming our customers into store.”
These road improvements are necessary to allow new development around the city. The planned growth in Dunfermline, which includes 8,000 new homes, four new primary schools and development of employment land in the coming years, means we need to act now to ensure future traffic can continue to move freely around the City.
These current road improvements are part of the transport measures identified as necessary to help mitigate the impacts of the planned development and follow on from the new traffic lights which were installed at the A823 Pitreavie roundabout in 2022, which were the first phase of these developer funded measures.