SPEEDING on Whitefield Road in Dunfermline has been a concern for more than 20 years but, unlike the traffic, moves to make it safer have been very slow.

Bellyeoman Community Council have been flagging up the risks since at least 2001 and their call to lower the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph may be making progress – finally.

Secretary Graeme Whyte said: "We had a site visit last Thursday with officials from the council at Whitefield Road, looking at issues from the railway bridge at Queen Margaret Halt all the way to the junction at the top of the road.

"We've been pushing for a reduction in the speed limit and safe crossing points for pedestrians for some time.

"In fact, I found a letter the other day that I'd written to the then councillor, Helen Law, requesting the speed limit be reduced to 30mph, and it was from 2001!"

Last month, councillors on the City of Dunfermline area committee agreed a motion calling for transportation officers to review the speed limit on Whitefield Road, and also Lapwing Drive and Carnegie Avenue.

A report will come back to the committee in the New Year with cost and resource implications for each road.

The community council is also looking for road safety improvements on Whitefield Road, which serves Queen Margaret Hospital, Queen Margaret Rail Halt and a large housing estate and leads, via a much-criticised junction at the top of the road, to Kingseat and Townhill.

Mr Whyte said: "There had been a bad accident at the mini roundabout just days before the visit when a van was side-swiped.

"I think a car had just gone through without the driver looking and that's something that we've seen a lot.

"One of the other things we raised was the state of the white lines on the road, which is probably an issue across the area, but I noted they've now painted the lines at the junction at the top of Whitefield Road."