A Fife councillor is demanding to know why it took more than five months to replace a bollard on the A92 trunk route in Fife.
Taybridgehead Liberal Democrat Councillor Tim Brett said he reported to BEAR Scotland in the middle of March that a bollard was missing at the Hazelton Walls junction on the A92.
It was finally replaced on Friday, more than five months after the matter was raised by Mr Brett and hours after BEAR was contacted by The Courier.
Mr Brett said: “While I appreciate that this is not a major repair, it is a safety issue yet the repair took more than five months.
“I have communicated with BEAR on several occasions and have also asked whether they have a system for checking that small repairs such as this are followed through and completed.
“I have been assured by BEAR that they do have such a system but it is patently clear it is not functioning properly.”
Mr Brett went on to explain that he has also had correspondence with BEAR about the state of the roundabout at the Fife end of the Tay Road Bridge.
He added: “Work on this was carried out during last winter but neither the local communities, myself nor fellow Tay Bridgehead member councillor Maggie Taylor were at all happy with the quality of the work that was done.
“Again, meetings have been held but we are still waiting for a response from BEAR about action that can be taken to improve things.”
Mr Brett stated that he had written again to BEAR to formally complain about both of these issues.
He said: “I am concerned that an organisation such as BEAR has no local accountability. They are responsible for the maintenance of trunk roads in Scotland and therefore, I believe, report to Transport Scotland.
“I would like the minister for transport, Keith Brown, to take a closer interest in the quality of the work carried out by this and other organisations. The general public may assume that all road maintenance in Fife is undertaken by Fife Council’s transportation service but this is not the case for repairs to trunk roads.”
A BEAR Scotland spokesperson said: “Whilst Councillor Brett was advised that the repair would be completed by BEAR Scotland, there has been some clarification required with Fife Council regarding responsibility.
“This has delayed the bollard repair but we would like to reassure Councillor Brett that we will endeavour to have this resolved.
“We have also previously consulted with him regarding works at the Tay Bridge roundabout and are not aware of any current issues. We will arrange a meeting with Councillor Brett to discuss any concerns he has regarding trunk road maintenance in greater detail.”