FIFE Council will move forward with plans to slow down the traffic on a major road in Dunfermline.

There was one objection to the proposal to reduce the limit from 40mph to 30mph on Whitefield Road but councillors agreed it should be set aside.

Safety concerns have been repeatedly raised about pedestrians trying to cross the "very busy" road to get to and from Queen Margaret Hospital, the houses in Queen Margaret Fauld and the railway station.

At the City of Dunfermline area committee on Tuesday, Lesley Craig, the council's lead consultant in traffic management, said the objector's opinion was that the reduction "wasn't necessary".

However, Cllr Gordon Pryde said: "I'm more than happy to set aside this objection and let's move to having this 30mph speed limit being implemented from the mini roundabout.

"Going down from there to the crossing point you've got two areas of islands and dropped kerbs, you've got the railway station and a lot of residential properties on the east side, and the hospital on the west side.

"That objection missed the impact of pedestrians trying to cross that very busy road and if we can do anything to reduce speed I think it's an excellent initiative."

Residents told the Press they've been calling for the speed limit to be cut on Whitefield Road for 20 years but said that, unlike the traffic, progress had been very slow.

Dunfermline Press: The speed limit on Whitefield Road in Dunfermline will be cut from 40mph to 30mph. The speed limit on Whitefield Road in Dunfermline will be cut from 40mph to 30mph. (Image: Newsquest)

Last November councillors backed a motion, tabled by Cllr James Calder, to slow down traffic on three roads in the city.

And in June the residents got their wish when the council confirmed plans for a 30mph zone on Whitefield Road.

The new speed limit will be in force from the mini-roundabout that connects with Robertson Road down to the existing 30mph 'gateway' near to the junction with Halbeath Road.

The council previously explained that there was no point extending it to the 'top end' of Whitefield Road as the problematic junction with Kingseat Road is to be removed as part of the Taylor Wimpey housing development, which will eventually see 1,400 houses and a primary school built between Kingseat and Halbeath.