Councillor calls for lowering of speed limit

The weekend’s tragedy will prompt calls for more safety measures along the notorious stretch of road, which has seen a series of accidents and collisions over the years.

A similar crash on the Standing Stane Road in March 2007 left three young men dead after their vehicle left the carriageway.

A 21-year-old driver and a pair of 16-year-old passengers were pronounced dead at the scene after the Vauxhall Vectra in which they were travelling hit a tree.

Investigations are ongoing into Sunday’s accident and it is too early to say what the contributing factors were.

SNP Councillor John O’Brien, who represents Buckhaven, Methil and the Wemyss Villages, has long campaigned for measures to improve the route’s safety record.

He said: “Only this week I was happy to announce that Fife Council would cover all costs for children who die in Fife up to the age of 18 years old.

“I’m sad to say that some grieving parents will be called upon to take up this offer after yet another fatal road crash on the Standing Stane Road.

“Fife Council transportation service should take immediate action and reduce the speed limit across the Standing Stane Road and restrict all traffic to 40 miles per hour from 60.

“This would be a positive step in my view to reduce fatalities.”

Mr O’Brien said he had attended the Safe Drive Stay Alive roadshow last week at the Rothes Halls which highlighted seven fatalities on Fife’s roads over the past five years, prior to the weekend’s incident.

The road was last examined in 2015 when the limit was reduced from 60mph to 40mph from the junction at Percival Road to the Durievale roundabout.

The connecting route into Methilhill, along the B932 Main Street, was similarly changed to avoid drivers having to adhere to three different limits.