THE path under the Glen Bridge in Dunfermline will be closed due to safety concerns and vandalism.

Councillors agreed on Tuesday that the route, from Buffies Brae to the Glen Bridge car park, should be stopped up.

Police Scotland were also consulted about the decision, taken "due to the risk of members of the public falling from the subsiding path".

A report to the City of Dunfermline area committee added that "the situation is exacerbated by the continual vandalism to the safety fences erected on the down-slope side of the path".

The committee convenor, Cllr Helen Law, said: "It's going to be closed in the short term as it's an eyesore and it's getting unsafe.

"There is a section of the path that's subsiding and there's a very steep drop. We've put in fencing before but it kept getting vandalised.

"We even put in a heavy-duty barrier and it was set on fire.

"The fire brigade also raised issues about anti-social behaviour and I understand someone fell there and had to be lifted with specialist equipment.

"Until we get a proper solution, and that's likely to be difficult and expensive, then it needs to be closed."

She added: "I've been raising concerns about this area since 2016 and we've had a working group since 2017, so there's no lack of will.

"That year, as councillors, we tried to make improvements as this should be a wonderful area; it's next to a main visitor attraction – St Margaret's Cave – and where all the tourist buses come in.

"But it's always a cowp as people throw rubbish everywhere."

In March 2017, councillors backed plans to spend £20,000 on improving the “dark, depressing and dirty” Glen Bridge underpass, at one end of the path, which had become a hang-out for teenagers.

They said it had become a no-go area apart from youngsters using it as a drinking den and rubbish tip.

The then Dunfermline Central councillor, Neale Hanvey, advised the Press at the time: “We were told by the police that the youths they’re chasing around the town, the ones hanging around Tesco and causing problems, have been using it as a bolthole to disappear into.

“Before one of the committee meetings, I went down there for a look. Someone had set fire to a bin so plastic was melted to the ground, the barrier to stop people falling in the burn was completely broken and there were shopping trolleys, discarded bottles, graffiti and rubbish everywhere."

A further £10,000 was also to be spent on diversionary programmes for youngsters, such as twilight football and basketball.