IT'S only just been laid but it looks like a part of Fife Council's £700,000 cycleway on Aberdour Road in Dunfermline might have to be dug up.

The six-month project to widen the pavement for a shared use path on the street, between Hospital Hill and the Masterton roundabout, is ongoing but a section that has been completed is needed for an 18-metre high mobile phone mast.

CK Hutchinson Networks (UK) Ltd, of Reading, say the pole would be part of a telecommunications base station they want to site on a grass verge on the west side of the roundabout between Masterton Road and Aberdour Road, to the rear of the houses on Menteith Drive.

It would include three ancillary cabinets and six antennas, but the problem is that, because the pavement was widened for the shared use path, to create enough room for cyclists and pedestrians, there's very little grass verge left.

Dunfermline Press: The mast had been intended for the grass verge, but this has been removed to make way for the shared use path.The mast had been intended for the grass verge, but this has been removed to make way for the shared use path. (Image: Google)

The Press asked Fife Council if a section of the new cycleway would have to be dug up for the telecommunications work and lead consultant Allan MacLean said the issue has now been raised with planning.

He added: "These works are not extensive and very localised.

"We'll discuss the best way forward, taking into consideration the surfacing work recently completed."