William Street closure delayed
Ally McRoberts • Published 30 May 2012 15:30
10 Comments
BRACED for traffic chaos with William Street due to shut on Monday for six months, surprised Dunfermline motorists found it was open as usual.
Businesses and residents have been angered about the road closure which will see a bridge replaced and a gas main laid.
The works were due to begin on Monday and diversion signs were in place but there is a small reprieve, with the closure postponed for nine days until Wednesday.
A Fife Council spokesman confirmed, "The contractor, Farrans, was due to commence work on Monday but Fife Council were informed on that day that they had to delay as they didn't have the resources available.
"They will start on Wednesday 6th June and aim to catch up over the period of the contract."
William Street is a well used route connecting Rumblingwell and Pittencrieff Street and the closure is likely to funnel more traffic through the centre of Dunfermline.
Concern was expressed about the effects on local trade and traffic congestion while some businesses in the area complained they hadn't been told about the works.
The road closure was announced earlier this month to allow a bridge at the north end to be replaced and the installation of a gas main along the length of the street.
The work is being carried out on behalf of Fife Council and Scotland Gas Networks and a diversion route will be in place via Baldridgeburn, Mill Street, Pilmuir Street, Carnegie Drive, Glen Bridge and Pittencrieff Street.
Access for residents and the emergency services will be maintained and pedestrian access will be maintained at the bridge, using a temporary diversion over the Baldridge Burn.
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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DLineRes
4 posts
May 30, 18:56
Report commentUsual council bashing by the press. The fact is, the bridge works won't take the full time. It is Scottish Gas replacing the gas main that is forcing it to be closed for so long.
Would the businesses prefer to have the bridge collapse and close for good, or perhaps a gas leak to close off the whole area?
Stop moaning, if you were consulted, what option would you have???
Recommend?
Yes 13
No 15
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Dunfyresident
66 posts
May 31, 10:28
Report commentI agree with DLineRes - it's not as if there are not other routes through Dunfermline! If the work needs to be done, then there is no alternative - stop moaning about it. There will still be pedestrian access available. Likely that the people that are moaning about it are drivers who are within walking distance of where they are going anyway.
Recommend? Yes 9
No 13
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Dunfyresident
66 posts
May 31, 12:13
Report commentThe folk that are moaning about it are probably the kind of people that wouldn't be happy with horse riders using Williamson Street to get to the cycle track. Find something important to work on.
Recommend? Yes 4
No 14
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Ben Dover
13 posts
May 31, 14:18
Report commentDunfyresident you are obviously not a resident of Dunfermline because if you were you would know it's William Street, NOT Williamson Street. Perhaps if YOU used that particular route to get to and from work and had to travel a further 3 miles around town to avoid the roadworks I'm sure YOU would have something to say about it.... moron!
Recommend? Yes 18
No 7
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DUNFTC
3 posts
May 31, 15:37
Report commentWhat a total non-story !! The diversion route is not very long, perhaps 10 extra minutes at the very most, and i am yet to see traffic conditions in Dunfermline which could ever be described as 'congested'.
One short part of the street is actually closed, with all other areas open for access. Given that there are no businesses on the section of road actually closed, then i fail to see how any could be adversely effected by this.
This is a prime example of what's wrong with this country! A load limited bridge is being upgraded here; that's a good thing, and everyone wants to moan. No one has died, no one will be stranded, there will in reality be a minimal impact (not sure where the 3 mile diversion comes from, as it's 3 miles from William Street to Halbeath Junction!), there will be no gridlock, and in 6 months everything will be back to normal. If it takes you 5 or 10 minutes longer to get to work, then just leave a little earlier.......... wow, see, problem solved! We can go back to worrying about important stuff.
Recommend? Yes 6
No 15
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maclam
317 posts
May 31, 19:43
Report comment6 months closure is nothing anyway , pedestrian access through the rex park has been closed for 2 years because of work being carried out , i think they have run out of funding for the project.
Recommend? Yes 7
No 1
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savewhatwehaveleft
9 posts
Jun 3, 15:24
Report commentwhat they havent told everyone is the reason why they are putting gas up William street and replacing the bridge. The council arent so forthcoming to let everyone know that all that beautiful and scenic countryside on the other side of William street is about to be filled with 20 odd thousand houses. All that land, which at the moment is farm land is about to disapear. The council and goverment want an estate equal to or bigger than the Duloch estate. This is one of the most scenic areas in Dunfermline with stunning views to the forth, the land is home to deer, hare and birds of every description.
Those of you who say the impact of William street closing will not cause any issues well I would say you probably never use that route. there are people, like me and I assume many others who HAVE to use that route on a daily basis, several times a day and I can guarantee that it will be longer than 6 months as they plan to start building there by the end of the year. By that stage they will be pile driving, digging, attempting to fill in mine shafts and air shafts, and attempting to hide the tons of rubbish that was used to fill in the old quarry many years ago.Oh and the flooding that fills those fields, that would need to be diverted elsewhere. As it is, that land is farm land and used by the farmers, horse riders, dogwalkers, walkers, cyclists and of course nature and wild life and it is on the town centres doorstep!!
I would urge those of you who care enough to not want to lose this to do something now, contact the council and let them know this is not on!!!!
Recommend? Yes 14
No 5
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supersonic
222 posts
Jun 6, 00:25
Report comment@savewhatwehaveleft has made a statement here that should be acted on! I regularly cycle along the piece of single track that starts opposite cameron st and leads to dean plantation and the amount of wildlife I see is amazing, the views are right across the valley to the pentland hills and great views of the town. It'll be a sad day if this disappears and is replaced by houses! If more people knew about this path I'm sure this wouldn't happen. I hope this brings attention to it!
Recommend? Yes 8
No 31
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daviebhoy67
20 posts
Jun 6, 20:25
Report commentWho took the bridge away? The council! To anyone who thinks it is an "upgrade" to a load bearing bridge, ask yourself one question. How do you upgrade a bridge that is not there any more?
This work is preparotory, this is the start of the largest housing operation in Europe, think Duloch is big? Wait till you see what the council has in store. The land from the Glen, to Baldridgeburn is owned by one family, the farmers rent the farms....They are all going. Over 18,000 houses, Wow!!!! Mineshafts, Air shafts, Along forgotten tip. If you take a look at the rubbish that sometimes surfaces in the field, you will see long forgotten brands of washing-up liquid bottles, pointing to 1970's rubbish.
If the council had any kind of forethought they could have challenged Tesco to build their store on the old M.F.I. site, seeing as there going to be thousands of new families to feed. Well at least they will have a nice new bridge to walk to Tesco in the congested, raped new Tescoline town centre.
Recommend? Yes 4
No 1
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hidinidentity
10 posts
Jul 4, 10:58
Report commentend of the day we should have an opinion on what we would like to see happen to dunfermline not the council bet half of the workers aint even from dunfermline. we should get to have a decision on what we want a dont want to see thousands of new buildings destroy our country side what about all the wildlife they keep this up then we wont have any is it really necessary to be buildin all theses houses
Recommend? Yes 1
No 0
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