Frustrated motorists have been urged to be patient with roadworks aimed at making a busy Fife street safer.
Traffic is again being held up on Cupar’s South Road which was recently dug up for gas main replacement.
However, local councillor Margaret Kennedy reminded fed-up drivers that the end result of the latest restrictions would include a pedestrian crossing for school children.
Last Tuesday, Fife Council began its carriageway improvements on the A914 one of the main routes in and out of the town just days after gas main replacement works were completed by SGN under three-way traffic lights.
As well as resurfacing the road, it will install a puffin crossing near Tesco, widen the pavement by the Golf Tavern and install traffic-calming measures on adjoining Ceres Road.
Parents of pupils walking to and from nearby Castlehill Primary School have reported several near misses involving children crossing the road and called for action to make the route safer.
Ms Kennedy said she was conscious drivers were being delayed by the prolonged disruption.
She added: “Hopefully the community can suffer a little more driving frustration for a very positive outcome.
“We are always significantly challenged when major roadworks are planned, however this was exacerbated by an unplanned gas works requirement.
“The planned works, which include a much-needed resurface of South Road, will however bring longer-term benefits with a controlled pedestrian crossing outside Tesco and further 20mph improvements to Ceres Road.
“These will go a long way to addressing issues which have been raised as important by members of the public and Castlehill Parent Council.”
The current works, also involving traffic lights, are expected to take up to three weeks.
The council decided to undertake three different projects at the same time to avoid repeated disruption and brought forward the gas works to avoid the new surface being excavated.
This also meant the puffin crossing will be created considerably earlier than anticipated, allaying concerns about a gap between its installation and the retirement of the crossing patrol officer on South Road.
Consultant engineer Kevin Smith said: “We apologise for any inconvenience and delay caused by these works and we’ll try to keep disturbance to a minimum.”