MOTORISTS have blasted the lack of notice about roadworks this week after finding out too late that sections of the A985 were closed.

Many drivers complained on social media there were no advance warnings and they didn't discover it was shut until the point they were forced to turn their vehicles round and take an alternative route.

Bear Scotland, who manage the trunk road on behalf of Traffic Scotland, have apologised for the "lack of notice" which caught out Fifers this week, with overnight works starting on Monday and due to finish tomorrow morning (Saturday).

One woman posted: "There were no signs anywhere saying that the road would be closed tonight, this is not an acceptable way for Transport Scotland to organise road closures!"

And Rosyth councillor Brian Goodall said: "I posted the notification of the closures when I got them but I still got caught up in it myself on Tuesday night.

"There's a clear problem with the signage on diversions and the on street notifications should be much better. I'll be talking this up with Bear Scotland."

The company issued a press release at the start of June to publicise that they would be carrying out road marking and stud replacement works on the A977 and A985.

They were scheduled to last from June 7 to 18.

However there was no such communication about any works on the A985 in July, which has seen sections of the road between Rosyth and Longannet closed between 7.30pm and 6.30am.

A motorist who complained on Twitter to Bear Scotland received a reply that said: "We have investigated and in this case there was not adequate information signage ahead of these works.

"We apologise for the impact this had on you. This has been rectified.

"We aim to ensure all the standards expected in notifying the public in advance about works are adhered to."

On Monday night the A985 was closed in Rosyth between the Admiralty roundabout and the Kings Road roundabout, on Tuesday night it was shut between the Kings Road roundabout and the Waggon Road junction near Crossford, on Wednesday night the section between the Waggon Road junction and the Cairneyhill roundabout was shut and last night (Thursday) the A985 from the Cairneyhill roundabout to the B9037 junction at Blairhall was closed.

Tonight (Friday) the road from Blairhall junction to Longannet roundabout will be closed and the programme of works should finish tomorrow morning. A signed diversion will be in place.

Bear Scotland explained online this week that they needed additional nights to carry out stud replacement, between Longannet roundabout and Admiralty Road roundabout, as it wasn't completed during the original working period in June.

A spokesperson for the company told the Press: "We apologise for the lack of notice regarding the works on the A985.

"The road markings and studs programme is due to be completed this evening, with the section between Blairhall and Cairneyhill roundabout being addressed last night (July 7) and the section between Longannet roundabout and Blairhall tonight (July 8).

"Local access will be maintained throughout."