MSP Alex Rowley has questioned whether Fife Council have the staff and resources to carry out emergency repairs to make roads safe.

He said the state of some carriageways was a "disgrace" and said a "dangerous" pothole that was highlighted two weeks ago had still not been filled in.

The council admitted they have a "backlog" but Mr Rowley says Fifers must make sure all road defects are reported to ensure the local authority can't manoeuvre their way out of paying for damage to vehicles.

He said: "I have given the council an example where a dangerous hole in the road has been left for almost two weeks after I know it was reported.

"The bottom line is these kinds of holes in the road do serious damage to cars, can cause accidents and are costing car owners money they can ill afford.

“I am urging the public to report all road defects as the council insurance will find it very difficult to refuse a claim for damage to a car where it is shown the defect in the road was reported but not acted on."

Mr Rowley said the pothole in question was reported on January 18 and, as of January 31, had not been fixed.

He continued: "The state of some of our roads is a disgrace and we need a plan for addressing them but we also need to know that defects that are dangerous are being treated with the urgency they require and that motorists are not at risk.

"The hole in the road I am highlighting would cause serious damage and should have been dealt with but was not and that is a concern.”

Altany Craik, the convener of the council’s economy, tourism, strategic planning and transportation committee, said: “Our workload on pothole repairs usually increases at this time of year as winter weather conditions hit.

“This year, with almost five weeks of continual winter activities and gritting to deal with, we are facing a backlog of pothole repairs across Fife.

“Our teams are working hard to catch up and will continue to do so, weather permitting. Potholes identified as emergencies are being dealt with as soon as we are aware of them.

“Please help us in the effort by reporting potholes online at www.fife.gov.uk.”