SHORT stay parking of up to two hours in the Brunton House car park is one of the proposals being put forward for the people of Cowdenbeath to consider by the Area Committee.

This is one of several changes to the network plans in the central area of the town being promoted in a Traffic Regulation Order over the next few weeks.

And while members of Cowdenbeath Area Committee are backing the package they want a review of the effects of the changes in 12 months time.

Wednesday's meeting was told by a report prepared by Traffic Management's Phil Clarke that the TRO will be advertised in the paper and on the affected roads.

He said: "Works are ongoing in Cowdenbeath's Town Centre to deliver improvements to the streetscape providing better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists and to create an event space adjacent to High Street.

"To facilitate these improvements a number of changes are required to the TRO currently in for on High Street and adjacent streets."

The TRO will affect High Street, Hall Street, Stenhouse Street, Pit Road and also the Natal Place car parks.

Mr Clarke said that the existing taxi rank in High Street, and disabled bay adjacent to the new Civic Square site, are both to be removed with the rank relocated to the bus stop outside Iceland to provide a six space facility. The bus stop is to be moved back towards the shelter nearby.

Hall Street is to be narrowed with two laybys being created and limited to one hour parking between 8am and 6pm Monday to Saturday and a third layby will be created outside the veterinary practice building on the south side of Hall Street for loading only.

Pit Road is to be closed off from High Street and is primarily for use by pedestrians and cyclists.

There was concern expressed by the councillors about possible traffic flow problems on High Street at peak times each day.

Councillor Alex Campbell said: "We will have to see how things develop that is why I am proposing two things, that we have a review of how the various measures are affecting traffic movement and also that the short stay time at the Natal Place car park is two hours."

Councillor Gary Guichan commented: "Buses stopping on High Street can cause all sorts of problems to traffic flow."

And Councillor Lea McLelland added: "I used to use Cowdenbeath High Street a lot but it has been a nightmare recently and I have been doing my shopping in Glenrothes. If we do not get this right we could damage trade."

This was echoed by vice chair Rosemary Liewald and Councillor Alistair Bain moved an amendment regarding the site of the taxi rank but this was defeated.

The committee agreed to Councillor Campbell's suggested amendments and the rest of the package was rubber stamped.