MORE potholes will be filled in the Cowdenbeath area with Fife Council ploughing in extra cash to fix the roads.

A programme of works had already been put forward but last month's budget allocated an extra £3.5 million, so additional schemes will be included.

Cowdenbeath area committee was told on Wednesday that a good number of their category two projects - which are on the reserve list - "scored very highly" and are now likely to be carried out in 2024-25 too.

Vicki Connor, the lead consultant in roads and lighting asset management, confirmed: "As you know, we received an additional £3.5m for roads maintenance and officers are currently reassessing the condition of the reserve schemes and propose to deal with the worst affected areas across Fife."

There are three category one carriageway resurfacing schemes to be carried out in 2024-25: the B922 rural road from the Cluny roundabout to the railway bridge (estimated cost £164,259); the B981 rural road from Liza Brae to Jamphlars Road (£523,664); and Leuchasbeath Drive in Cowdenbeath, from the A909 to Johnston Park (£360,777).

This comes to just over £1m while the budget is £753,359.

READ MORE: More than £2.8m spent on roads in Cowdenbeath area over last three years

There are four category two schemes, which would cost a further £1.2m.

They are: Broad Street phase three in Cowdenbeath, from Woodend Road west for 385 metres (£257,807); Black Road, Kelty, from Main Street to 44 Black Road, (£111,153); Cocklaw Street in Kelty, west of Blackhall Road to B914 west of Overbridge (£254,750); and the A909 rural road northwest of Mossmorran to Beverkae roundabout (£593,822). But while there's additional money to fix roads over the next 12 months there are major concerns about future years.

The committee heard that there's £9.7m to resurface carriageways across the Kingdom in 2024-25 but that almost halves to just over £5m in 2025-26.

The report says it then "averages out" at £6.1m thereafter but admits the position is "concerning".

A worried Cllr Darren Watt said: "Regardless of political affiliation, all councillors will agree that roads are a major concern and a major priority for local people.

"In the carriageway schemes there's already a £250,000 shortfall for the category one schemes so what are we doing to bridge that gap?"

Ms Connor said: "Finance are aware of the issues going forward into future years and there is a capital plan review coming up."

She added that the extra cash allocated this year should ensure the three carriageway schemes can be completed.

Over the next financial year there will be £150,000 for streetlight projects and £145,000 for five road safety and traffic management schemes: a raised puffin crossing and footway widening on Kirkcaldy Road in Crossgates; a raised table and path link on Lochleven Road in Ballingry; traffic calming at Woodend Place and Foulford Road, both Cowdenbeath; and a crossing point on Cardenden Road, Cardenden.

Several members pushed for traffic calming measures at Station Road in Kelty - Cllr Robb said the four ward councillors had been calling for it to be done "before I was even elected" - which is a category two scheme.

Also in the area roads programme for 2024-25 is £213,042 for four footway schemes, at Main Street in Kelty, Broad Street and Raith Avenue in Cowdenbeath, and Droverhall Avenue in Crossgates.

Cllr Bailey-Lee Robb asked if Chapel Street could be looked at too, adding: "An elderly lady was able to take me there and lift up almost half the pavement and smash it with her hands as it was crumbling away."

At £10,000 he said he hoped the funds would be found to do the work in 2024-25.