During the dunhill links championship (their little letters, not mine) the event organisers successfully applied to close our only vehicle access to the beach. There are many people who question the need to do this. In 2001, in a letter to Fife Council, the community council stated that they "do not feel that it is necessary to close this road at all."

In order to try to do something positive about this, and to try to keep this road open during future events, contact was made with Peter Milne, the Fife Council Transportation official who deals with this issue.

3 October 2003

Dear Mr Milne,

RE: CLOSURE OF SEA ROAD, KINGSBARNS DURING DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP

You will be aware of my concerns regarding the closure of the only public road to our popular beach during the ‘dunhill’, an event where marshals often outnumber spectators. During our recent phone conversation you explained that there is no absolute requirement, in law, to close this road - that there is room for negotiation.

You may wish to consider the following, when you next meet to discuss this issue.

Earlier letters to Kingsbarns residents stated that the road was being closed on the grounds of safety and security.

Is this a safety issue?

There was only one Sea Road safety issue raised during the planning stages, and that was supposed to have been resolved before the golf course opened. Rumble strips and warning signs were to placed either side of the one and only ‘golf-related’ crossing near the beach, so as to make motorists aware of the presence of golfers. No one appears to be too concerned that the work was never done. For 51 weeks of the year, the unmarked crossing seems to be deemed safe. If there really is a safety issue, would it not be better to finish the required work, and then consider placing a marshal at this crossing to control the small increase in golf-related traffic during events.

Is this a security issue?

Organisers claim that the beach road enters the golf course. This is nonsense. The golf course operators seem to regard much of the land around as theirs; but the road, beaches and foreshore are outwith their boundaries. This years event was free, and public access to the golf course, on either side of the Sea Road, was unrestricted.

Is this, perhaps, no more than a ‘beach clearing’ issue?

Several walkers and beach users are of the opinion that the golf course operators are actively trying to discourage people from using the coastal borders of the golf course, especially during this televised event. A round of golf at Kingsbarns involves shots over, and for the wayward from, the foreshore and beaches. It will not suit either the golfers or the TV producers to have ‘uncontrollable’ walkers around. Organisers have tried to limit the numbers of non-golfing people around during the event; they applied to close the coastal path, they use misleading signs.

The organisers will know that by closing the beach road to visitor traffic, they effectively control the numbers of people on and around the beaches. It was quite noticeable, on the Saturday of this years event, that there were very few beach users and coastal path walkers to be seen - quite unusual considering the weather.

Could the road be kept open?

This year, in order to sort out parking problems within Kingsbarns, the organisers found it necessary to place a lonely marshal at the ‘Road Closed’ sign in Back Style. Would this marshal not be better employed, and happier, controlling the relatively small amount of road traffic at the one and only ‘golf-related’ crossing? Given the fact that a marshal is required, somewhere on this road, it does seem “a bit of an overkill” to close the road entirely. Obviously, another site would have to be found for the toilets!

Please bear in mind that in earlier representations, the community council questioned the need to close this road.

Sincerely, Nick Lunan

That letter was copied to the group of people involved in the road closure discussions, namely :-

Cllr. Peter Douglas, Ch. Insp. Maich - Fife Constabulary, Nick Brian - Fife Council, Clare Wright - KCC, Stuart McEwan - KGL

As yet, no response has been received from any of the above parties.

This development has attracted much publicity. Read the news here

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