THERE are plans to spend £1.15 million on improving Dunfermline town centre. 

Footpaths, street lights, road surfaces, signage, pedestrian links and traffic lights are all set to be upgraded over the next year. 

Councillors were expected to approve the investment at the City of Dunfermline area committee yesterday (Wednesday) which took place after the Press deadline. 

Helen Law, chair of the committee, said: “There is £650,000 that’s already with Fife Council, that’s from developer contributions from the likes of Tesco, and £500,000 that was announced in the budget last month for Dunfermline town centre.

"It’s a substantial amount of money and package of improvements. We want to make the town centre more visitor-friendly, with decent walking surfaces and improved links to the cycle network. We want people to come in and use Dunfermline.” 

The works are designed to make it easier for people to access the town centre, car parks and public transport as well as improving the overall look. 

She added: “I know the majority of people want the shopping experience but streetscape plays a big part, it has to look good and help people feel safe too. 

“We need to work with everything we’ve got to make the town centre as good as it can be so we can attract more visitors and shops.” 

In Carnegie Drive, Pilmuir Street, Queen Anne Street and Douglas Street, they plan to improve footpaths, lift and re-lay slabs, put down asphalt footways and a proper path across the grass outside the old Sinky’s Bar. 

‘Rocking’ slabs at the bus station will be sorted and new Caithness slabs laid outside the Kingsgate Shopping Centre. This work is estimated to cost around £250,000. 

Cllr Law said: “The whole area surrounding the town centre, places like Queen Anne Street and Douglas Street, has been a source of complaint. 

“One of the issues is the slabs have been set in sand and when it rains they rise and start to wobble, while some of them are broken and cracked from traffic.”

Pavements from East Port to the car parks in Viewfield Terrace and Walmer Drive, and from New Row to Walmer Drive, will be improved and signs put up for around £75,000. 

At the junction of Carnegie Drive and Inglis Street, the traffic lights will be upgraded to include a pedestrian and cycle phase. 

Cllr Law added: “We’re also looking at re-setting the traffic lights at the junction of Carnegie Drive and Pilmuir Street, we’ve had a lot of complaints about it and a couple of accidents and near misses. 

“We’re going to look at timings and try to do something there.”

Around £120,000 will be spent on replacing the metal staircase connecting Queen Anne Street and Bruce Street and £150,000 will go on replacing slabs, removing kerbs, new concrete and asphalt pavements and repairs to damaged areas. 

Cllr Law said: “I’m keen to get rid of that metal staircase as it’s an eyesore and when there’s bad weather the steps get very slippy. 

“A few years ago, Bruce Street was dire but now it’s looking good and most of the units are filled. 

“There have been some street improvements but further work is needed.”

Previous improvements in Monastery Street will be continued into St Margaret Street and Buchanan Street with pavements and setts replaced by natural stone. 

Pedestrian access to the car park in Buchanan Street will also be improved.

These jobs are anticipated to cost £95,000.  

At the junction of Abbot Street and Maygate, there’ll be £50,000 spent on new kerbing, replacing slabs with natural stone and a new footway. 

A new shared use path costing £90,000 will run along Nethertown Broad Street from the gates of Pittencrieff Park to Bothwell Street. 

There will be new street lighting on Carnegie Drive and Leys Park Road. 

Works at the car park at Leys Park Road will also see the shelter removed, resurfacing work done, new signs installed and drainage jobs completed. 

The link to Piggies Lane will also be resurfaced. 

These jobs would cost around £250,000.