Fife Council is to plough a further £2.6 million into Dunfermline’s over-budget flood prevention scheme.
Members of the executive committee gave the green light for more cash to be splashed on the project, which was already a staggering £11m over budget.
The much-maligned scheme is still not complete, more than four years after it was meant to be delivered. Last month the council terminated its contract with Byzak Ltd, the company carrying out the works associated with the project.
The news came only weeks after Fife Council announced it was to sue project designers Atkins Ltd for nearly £10m due to the huge overrun in timescale and the increase in costs.
Fife’s transport and environment spokesman, Pat Callaghan, labelled the level of performance “unacceptable” and said the council “had to intervene to remedy the situation”.
Mr Callaghan said: “At the executive committee we agreed to invest a further £2.6m into the flood prevention works to ensure this important project is completed this autumn.
“I understand the frustration of Dunfermline residents over the length of time this project is taking and apologise.
“Please be assured we are doing everything within our power to complete this project as soon as possible.”
Temporary traffic lights at Forth Street, have been removed until a new contractor is appointed to complete the scheme.
The lights have been the cause of traffic delays and frustration for residents and travellers.
Following the removal of Byzak Ltd, the council has backfilled and reinstated the contractor’s excavations to allow the removal of the traffic lights, until a new contractor is appointed to complete the works.
Mr Callaghan added: “I am pleased these temporary traffic lights are away; although necessary, they caused a lot of frustration.
“We are now in the process of retendering this project and, until we appoint a new contractor, we have taken steps to remove the temporary traffic lights on Forth Street.
“All going well, a new contractor will be on site in early summer, with the works completed in autumn 2014.”