THE roadworks which have led to major traffic problems in Cardenden have been completed but there is still unhappiness in the village by what has been happening.

Local councillor Linda Erskine described the shutting off of Woodend Road, for the upgrade of the surface as 'splitting the village in two,' and it really has done just that.

Residents in Kinglassie Road and Woodend Park have found they have been cut-off from the rest of the ABCD conurbation and to get to the shops in Cardenden have had to take a diversion of several miles.

Of course the reason for the complete shutting of Woodend Road has been on safety grounds as the teams work to get the resurfaced stretch back in action ASAP as part of a £273,000 project.

But it has caused considerable problems for a great many residents.

Buses have been allowed to use the road during the closure, but no private vehicles have been permitted and there have been queries on how such large vehicles as buses could use the road but not cars.

It was contended that the previous style of traffic management used on these sort of projects, with one carriageway being dealt with at a time through the use of temporary traffic lights, might have worked suitably in this case. However, that was ruled out also on health and safety grounds.

The project has been completed on time and safely so it will be seen as a successful way of dealing with the total upgrade of a long mainline street.

However, no doubt lessons will be learned from the experience and while it has been uncomfortable over the best part of a month a good road surface is now in place on a busy stretch of road linking the ABCD community with Kinglassie and Glenrothes.

Hopefully lessons will be learned and the next time the idea is used these can be put into action and the system perfected.