COWDENBEATH MSP Annabelle Ewing is backing the campaign being led by two local councillors to ensure pupils from Benarty going to Lochgelly High School do not have to walk the very busy B920.

Ms Ewing MSP has written to Carrie Lindsay, Executive Director for Education and Children's Services at Fife Council, to express her concerns about the safety of the route pupils would be expected to walk from Lochgelly High School from Benarty.

The project being considered by education officials is part of the walk to school plan each school in Fife has to help improve pupils health and wellbeing.

However, local councillors Lea McLelland and Rosemary Liewald, having walked the B920 from Ballingry Crescent to Lochgelly High are highly concerned about the dangers the road, which has only one pavement for long stretches could pose for pupils.

The duo have involved Annabelle Ewing, who said on Friday: “I completely understand the motivation behind the proposal by proposal by Fife Council’s Education Committee to increase the fitness and wellbeing of school pupils all over Fife, by promoting walking to school.

“Nevertheless, I do think that, in some instances, that zeal needs to be tempered by a recognition of safety issues in some cases".

She added: “I note, particularly, the concerns that have been raised by local Councillors Lea McLelland and Rosemary Liewald with regard to the walking route from Benarty to Lochgelly High School and I have to say that I share those concerns.

“When we are talking about the safety of young people there is a very strong case for applying a precautionary principle and I would like to urge the Council to think again.”

Shelagh McLean, Head of Education & Children's Services said about the concerns: "Officers have walked all of the existing routes which currently receive transport due to historic decisions about their availability. "This was carried out at times when pupils would be walking to or from school - on school days either in the hour before morning bell time or the hour after afternoon bell time. Using the criteria for assessment (which is based on the RoSPA/Road Safety GB guidance document, Assessment of Walked Routes to School) officers assessed a range of criteria along routes including pavements, paths, crossing points and traffic flow."