Junction at Whitefield Road will go as part of development

Locals have long complained about the section where Whitefield Road meets Kingseat Road, close to Queen Margaret Hospital, believing the confusing layout has led to "umpteen near misses and accidents".

And a Dunfermline dad said he was "still shaking" 10 minutes after narrowly avoiding a crash.

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The man, who did not want to be named, said: "I was driving up Whitefield Road between Christmas and New Year, I had my kids in the back, and was just about to turn right when a car came barrelling through from the Kingseat end and went straight through towards Townhill without stopping.

A Dunfermline dad says 'Too many folk don't seem to know who has right of way' at the junction of Whitefield Road and Kingseat Road. (Image: Google Maps)

"If I had been a few seconds earlier he would have smashed right into the side of us. I couldn't believe it.

"The kids were none the wiser but I was still shaking 10 minutes later once we'd stopped, thinking what could have been.

"Too many folk don't seem to know who has right of way. It must be one of the most dangerous junctions in Fife."

The junction will go - the northern section of Whitefield Road will be stopped up and retained for use by pedestrians and cyclists only - as part of Taylor Wimpey's plans for 1,400 new homes and a primary school between Halbeath and Kingseat.

There's no date as yet but Graeme Whyte, from Bellyeoman Community Council, said he'll be "glad to see it disappear".

He explained: "There's been umpteen near misses and accidents that we've heard about.

"As someone that uses that road fairly frequently to go up through Kingseat, I always approach the junction gingerly, even though I've got the right of way, because of the number of times I've had to put the brakes on because a car has come straight through.

"I've lost count of the number of times that's happened.

"I'd say it's an accident waiting to happen but there have been so many there.

"The problem is that unless an accident is reported to the police, it's not recorded by the council."

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Mr Whyte continued: "I think it's over 20 years since it changed from a traditional T-junction and we've had concerns all that time.

"Last year we got the council to re-paint the lines, which they did, and it's more of an issue in the summer when trees and shrubs grow and drivers can't see the give way signs.

"It's an odd arrangement. The road that you'd think should be the through road is actually the one with give ways, and the through road is one you'd normally expect to be a give way."

He hopes that, as well as the new 30mph speed limit, there will be other measures to improve road safety on Whitefield Road.

Dunfermline North councillor Gordon Pryde said: "I wouldn't go as far as to say it's dangerous.

"But there are issues and I've asked the council's transportation service if they can improve the signage, as some of it has been obscured by bushes."

A spokesperson for Taylor Wimpey confirmed that junction improvement works will form part of their new Whitefields development.

She added: "We will provide a timescale for this work when we appoint a contractor and we expect to be able to provide an update to the local community around summertime this year.”

The council's lead traffic consultant, Lesley Craig, said: "There have been no injury accidents at this junction in over six years.

"While it isn't a standard T-junction, it does give priority to vehicles travelling on the B912 Whitefield Road to Kingseat.

"Clear signage and lines show to drivers approaching from Townhill and Kingseat that they should give way to drivers travelling north on Whitefield Road.

"If driven correctly and considerately, there should be no safety issues.

"After the recent resurfacing work, it was safer to put back the lining drivers are accustomed to. While the junction will cease to exist in the future, we have to prioritise work at locations with greater issues."