Pressure mounts on Fife Council to fix Promenade
Thursday 28 March
For immediate release
Leven’s MSP Jenny Gilruth is calling on Fife Council to take urgent action to fix the broken sections of the sea wall along the beach front promenade. Parts of the sea wall were badly damaged in the wake of Storm Babet last year and have since been left in a state of disrepair by Fife Council. Since last year local residents have been unable to enjoy the full extent of the walkway with large sections fenced off and inaccessible to the public.
The damage to the seawall also poses a significant risk to the public should severe stormy weather hit the town again, with sea water continuously washing away parts of the unprotected sandbank.
Ms. Gilruth joined Cllr Stefan Hoggan-Radu recently to visit the Promenade, along with local councillors David Alexander and Alistair Suttie.
Ms. Gilruth has been engaging with Fife Council on this matter since Storm Babet hit in October last year but has been advised that the administration has no current plans to finance this urgently needed work.
Commenting on the state of the Promenade, Jenny Gilruth MSP said:
“Leven Promenade is a valuable community asset which locals use every day and will soon be enjoyed by many more following the opening of the new rail link this year.
“The sea wall also fulfils a crucial role in keeping the people of Leven safe from storms like Babet.
“Fife Council have been awarded record funding from the Scottish Government this year. It’s high time the Labour-led administration used that funding to help the communities it was intended for. This damage poses a real safety risk and is getting worse day by day – funding must be urgently prioritised by Fife Council. Leven is set for a momentous year thanks to investment from the SNP Scottish Government, who are directly funding the new rail link. The very least we can expect the local council to do is prioritise fixing these dangerous walls and making the beach promenade accessible for all once again.”
Commenting, SNP candidate for the Westminster constituency of North East Fife Stefan Hoggan-Radu said:
“With the Levenmouth Rail Link opening in the next few months, Leven and the surrounding area are going to get more visitors than ever before.
The waterfront is one of the key tourist sites, unfortunately now due to the inaction of Fife Council, it lies in ruin and surrounded in metal fencing after the recent storms.
I’m calling on Fife Council to make funds available so immediate action can be taken to restore the Leven waterfront.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
- Jenny Gilruth MSP (left), Cllr Stefan Hoggan-Radu (right)
