Dunfermline set for seven months of traffic misery
Graham Gibson • Published 12 Aug 2011 08:40
29 Comments
MOTORISTS in Dunfermline city centre face seven months of traffic misery when the roadworks for the new Tesco begin this autumn.
A city councillor admitted drivers will face "confusion and disruption" with part of Bruce Street closing and a new lay-out at Carnegie Drive - the main route through the centre.
Traffic gridlock looks inevitable as part of the preparation work for the new Tesco Extra, which will be built on the site of the old Thomsons World of Furniture.
But the roadworks come first and a Fife Council spokesperson said they could begin at the start of October and would take around 30 weeks to complete, with a four-week suspension in the run-up to Christmas.
Motorists will have to get to grips with a raft of double yellow lines, a new "gyratory system" at Carnegie Drive and turning bans when the new road lay-outs come into force.
Adding to the confusion, the revamped £17.5 million Carnegie Leisure Centre, which closed for refurbishment in December 2008, is due to finally re-open in November - just as the car parks in Carnegie Drive and Bruce Street are set to close.
The changes look certain to put more traffic on Pilmuir Street, which is already a bus route and the main road to Queen Anne High School.
The chair of the City of Dunfermline area committee, Joe Rosiejak, said, "There will be confusion but we are insisting that communications between the developers and contractors and council officials are a priority so that if there are any hiccups the public and the media are told about it.
"I know that the developers and council officers agreed that we would be briefed weekly if not daily on the progress of the building of the Tesco.
"The concerns of the local councillors were to get the roadworks done first and foremost. There will be confusion and disruption and it is paramount that the members and the public are told in advance of what is happening."
It is proposed that Bruce Street be closed at its north end, with Winterthur Lane linking Pilmuir Street with the junction of Foundry Street/Mill Street.
A new leg of Carnegie Drive will also be constructed between Pilmuir Street and Inglis Street.
Members of the City of Dunfermline area committee met yesterday (Wednesday) to remove parking charges for the car parks affected by the development.
The car parks at Bruce Street, Pilmuir Street and Pilmuir Street (East) will all be closed for the duration of the works.
Councillor Rosiejak was quick to ease fears the work would lead to a shortage of parking options for city centre shoppers and businesses.
He said, "We've got plenty of car-parking space in places such as the Glen and Walmer Drive.
"We are losing these car-parking spaces for maybe a year and hopefully Tesco will have it built pretty quickly with the least disruption possible."
On completion of the development a new car-parking area to the east of the former fire station will be returned to the council.
Councillor Rosiejak added, "It's a temporary measure and when the store opens there will be quite a number of parking spaces at the store.
"The store will hopefully regenerate this part of the town and there will be plenty of car-parking spaces there afterwards."
A spokesman for Dunfermline Delivers, the city centre's business development company, said, "We're working with Tesco to try and ascertain the details of all the impacts of the roadworks, trying to understand their plans and details.
"We are representing the interests of all of our city traders to make sure we minimise the impact it will have for our centre businesses throughout the duration of the programme."
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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Dunfie2
Unregistered User
Aug 12, 11:48
Report commentnot another tesco......!!!! we've already got tesco extra, tesco metro and tesco express in dunfermline (along with 2 asdas)....where are the other supermarkets, are they not interested in providing some competition???
Recommend?
Yes 32
No 2
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monty
Unregistered User
Aug 12, 13:19
Report commentwhat about the small shops in the area dont they get a say .i dont see people going about looking under fed give the shops already in the area a chance
Recommend? Yes 10
No 10
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Shah Hoorsur
Unregistered User
Aug 12, 15:51
Report commentWhat monty?
You mean those small shops who've had it good for far too long? You know, the ones who close half day on a Wednesday, who charge extortionate prices for their limited range of goods, who are closed on Sundays, and who close at 5pm??
Maybe the opening of Tesco's so close to the town centre will give the small shops the long overdue wake-up call to shape up or ship out. A bit of competition will be great for those shops (or at least it should be).
'Mon the Tesco...................................
Recommend? Yes 20
No 11
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The Gambler
Unregistered User
Aug 12, 21:05
Report commentI'll bet this will be the place to be.There's about nine set of traffic lights to go through coming into town from crossford going to the big Asda .Another fantastic addition to the city.Get behind the pars and the new supermarket and superpubs.
Recommend? Yes 2
No 3
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Mr Morrison
Unregistered User
Aug 12, 22:45
Report commentHey Gambler, don't bother, go the other way to Alloa's big Asda, or Tesco, take your pick. No lights if you head down the A907 through Bogside to roundabout and follow signposts to Alloa, not one set of lights. Loverly jubberly.
Actually, there's Morrisons too, even Aldi, if your so inclined.
Recommend? Yes 4
No 2
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midge
Unregistered User
Aug 12, 23:35
Report commentits going to cause mayham if folks take the road skirting the glen so narrow, has anybody noticed the bad bend at the bottom of road, the wall looks like its ready to collaspe stones bulging out an accident waiting to happen
Recommend? Yes 5
No 1
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Jake E Bassa
Unregistered User
Aug 13, 02:06
Report commentOny time thu subject o Tesco cums up, aw ye git iz folk saen how bad they ur. Well if ye dinny like thum, dinnae go tae thum an that man. If nae budy goes they git nae dough an they shut, I hink itz whit ye caw a free market economy or that man.
Recommend? Yes 1
No 11
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Tommy
Unregistered User
Aug 13, 13:50
Report commentDunfermline's town planners are a joke...... the whole place is a disaster what with more traffic lights than any other town I've been in, it's just not worth the bother. I live out by Gowkhall and it's far easier to go to Alloa than attempt the numerous lights, road humps and traffic calming measure Fife Council have used as an obstruction to anyone considering a visit to the town.
And as for their pedestrianised high street, ha!
Recommend? Yes 20
No 4
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Ba Jazz
Unregistered User
Aug 13, 18:12
Report commentGee yersals a shake, it takes 10 minutes to get from the Crossford end o Dunfermline through to Halbeath ON A BAD DAY, so if for a few months yer journey might take an extra 10 i think yous are doing not bad, anyway, avoid the roadworks by going doon the Coal Road and along Netherton Broad street or bypass Dunfermline Toon centre altogether by going along Admirilty road in Rosyth and out towards Crombie ..........at least there's options!
Recommend? Yes 5
No 9
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Ernie
Unregistered User
Aug 13, 18:14
Report commentFull marks for this development. At last a supermarket for people who either want to or have to use the city centre and not go out of town. The only effect on the existing shops will probably be positive as more people will be around. Tesco (and Asda) have been around the town for umpteen years so I doubt very much if any of the existing shops will feel much increased pressure and even if they do it's a lot more important that the city centre is vibrant and busy.
Recommend? Yes 9
No 6
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Alfiesmum
Unregistered User
Aug 13, 22:49
Report commentI agree with Dunfie2 - we don't NEED another Tesco - it's my least favourite supermarket as I firmly believe they are out for themselves and are definitely trying to monopolise the market - they are into absolutely everything now and that worries me. If someone updated the book of Revelations, I think Tesco might be mentioned in it ........!!! It's time we had a Sainsbury's or a Morrisons in Dunfermline.
Recommend? Yes 7
No 2
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Mrs Finefare
Unregistered User
Aug 13, 23:19
Report commentThat's true, however why don't Morrisons or Sainsburys want to come to Dunfermline. Kirkcaldy and Kinross have one (Sainsburys), too far away to be viable for Dunfermline, Are there any Morrisons in Fife? I know there's one in Alloa.
Recommend? Yes 2
No 1
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fizrar6
3 posts
Aug 14, 18:05
Report commentI hope Ba Jazz and Jake E Bassa don't get jobs in the new Tesco. If they speak the way they write they'll need to hold up subtitle boards when anyone asks them what aisle the beans are on.
Recommend? Yes 7
No 0
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mikeintheknow
98 posts
Aug 14, 21:30
Report commentI have to also agree, Dunfermline is a joke. ALLOA is much smaller had has better range or supermarket in a smaller space, it even has a B&M store in its Focus store, Yet Dunfermline is still empty. Also Cant rank there Cafe any more, There used to do good breakfast but its middle of the road.
It would be nice to get a Decent breakfast in Dunfermline: If Jenner can give you 8 items and a drink for just under a fiver.........
Recommend? Yes 2
No 2
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Avid Shopper
Unregistered User
Aug 15, 09:06
Report commentThere's a big Morrison's in Glenrothes. I don't like Tesco either it is pricey and some of their 'Finest' range is totally disgusting. Love ASDA especially George. Lidl and Aldi have there spot as well. Sainsbury is overpriced.
Recommend? Yes 1
No 0
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bassa jake
Unregistered User
Aug 15, 14:12
Report commentaye bit, yer free merkit econimy is gid, as lang as thi dinnae git tae greedy wi thi prices min-ken
Recommend? Yes 0
No 4
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mornington road
Unregistered User
Aug 15, 18:48
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tunami1912
Unregistered User
Aug 15, 20:27
Report commentDon't know what you lot drive or what time you go- but I drive from Newmills and including all the crossings... I currently have to pass through 20 sets of traffic lights to get to the college in Halbeath - 20 minutes on a good run.. sometimes as much as 30 on a bad one.. and the other day with roadworks in Crossford and on Garvock Hill causing tail backs along Appin Crescent and onto the Sinclair roundabout...took nearly 40 minutes and there was less traffic because of the school hols. It's SEVEN miles ffs! Agreed.. I'd go to Alloa for shopping... 4 miles further but half the time and you can actually get moved in the shops! Yeah dad on Dunfermline.... I'll watch with interest. And also lay off small independant businesses... you'll all moan when every town centre is an identikit of the other and there is nothing individual or special about them. These are often one person operations and why should they open 24/7 just to pander to people who can't plan ahead - once upon a time ALL shops shut on a Sunday and a half day midweek - we didn't die as a result. There was such a thing as a family unit then.. because we weren't all out shopping all the effin time!!
Recommend? Yes 11
No 1
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wee eck
Unregistered User
Aug 15, 21:40
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jan the man
Unregistered User
Aug 16, 14:48
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wee eck
Unregistered User
Aug 16, 19:34
Report commentah joe changed your name, do you go to the alehouse as a transvestite.
Recommend? Yes 3
No 0
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stewbydoo
Unregistered User
Aug 17, 00:08
Report commentWithout doubt it will be a nightmare and I will remember Mr Rosiejak's words regards the amount of parking available on the completion of the development. There will be far less parking available than there is at the moment when you consider the novelty of a new store in the town centre will attract a lot of shoppers and add that to the newly refurbished Carnegie centre which again will be a novelty for many. "Earth calling Mr Rosiejak, come back down to earth from what ever planet your currently on"
Recommend? Yes 1
No 0
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uncle jo
Unregistered User
Aug 17, 14:22
Report commentThis is quite funny, my brother doesn't know what a supermarket is.
Recommend? Yes 1
No 2
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Bob the Builder
Unregistered User
Aug 17, 15:48
Report commentIs ok for everyone out there,but I cannot make the shops anymore. Joe help
Recommend? Yes 1
No 2
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Stu Pidfolk
Unregistered User
Aug 17, 19:58
Report commentSome folk need to get out and about a bit more often. Instead of littering this site with meaningless nonsense. Try gettin a job or if yer too old try golf or gardening.
Recommend? Yes 2
No 0
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dogbert
Unregistered User
Aug 18, 02:12
Report commentThis is the dumbest site for a supermarket. If any area need one, it would be WEST of the town. The old MFI site would have been ideal. It would ease congestion (Villages like Gowkhall, Carnock and Oakley would not have to go through the town for their shopping or petrol) Why is the West of Dunfermline neglected? There is more to the town than the Easter expansion.... Are there no councillors in the West?
Recommend? Yes 5
No 0
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dogbert
Unregistered User
Aug 18, 02:21
Report commentApologies for the spelling mistakes. This is a wierd editor. It should have said 'needed' and 'Eastern'. Where does the cursor go?
Recommend? Yes 0
No 0
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Matron
97 posts
Aug 18, 14:34
Report commentLet's hope we don't have another bad winter or it will be a nightmare for all :-O
Recommend? Yes 1
No 0
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******
Aug 21, 16:37
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
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******
Aug 21, 16:43
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piefagerass
Unregistered User
Aug 21, 16:45
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