M74 extension opens to traffic 28 | 06 | 2011

SCOTLAND'S MOST EXPENSIVE ROAD — at around £1400 an inch, that's £457 million for its six-lane, five-mile length — the M74 extension, opened to traffic today; and depending on which side of the fence you stand, it's either three years late and almost nearly three times over budget, or eight months ahead of schedule and on course to be up to £20 million under the tender price.

And while, certainly initially, the new extension will be welcomed my motorists heading through Glasgow, the doom merchants are already arguing it will do nothing more than generate more traffic and do little to ease the country's most chronic congestion.

Designed to ease traffic jams on the M8, which has been snarled up for several miles through the city centre at peak hours for decades, the new stretch of motorway — opened today by the Duke of Gloucester — travels five miles through the south side of Glasgow to join the M8 west of the Kingston bridge over the Clyde.

It's anticipated 20,000 vehicles will come off the congested M8 at the Kingston Bridge every day, making a huge difference to businesses and individual drivers alike.

It's also predicted the average journey time between Hamilton, in South Lanarkshire, and Glasgow Airport will be cut from around 30 minutes to nearer 18 minutes. And congestion on local roads, such as Rutherglen Main Street, will be cut by up to 15%.

Watch video of construction of original M74 in 1964-66

But despite all the potential time-savings, a number of so-called 'transport experts' believe the new extension will simply encourage more traffic and the M8 could clog up again as the economy recovers.

And environmental campaigners, who mounted a legal challenge to the road being approved, said the scheme was folly despite business groups stating the project would bring major benefits.

"I think it would be reasonable to expect an initial reduction in traffic congestion across Glasgow," Colin Howden, director of sustainable transport group Transform Scotland, said, "but that this will be eroded as extra trips are generated. So I wouldn't be surprised to see the same levels of congestion on the Glasgow road network within a few years."

And Glasgow Green MSP Patrick Harvie, the past convener of Holyrood's transport committee, said: "The evidence is clear; building new motorway capacity, like the M74 extension, just creates more congestion, not more jobs. In the longer term, Glasgow can expect slower journeys, worsening air quality and more cost to the local economy."

Read our EXCLUSIVE roadtest of the electric Rolls-Royce

The negativity continued with Stephen Joseph, chief executive of the Campaign for Better Transport, saying: "The promoters of the M74 have never been prepared to take seriously the idea that the road will suffer from the 'M25 effect', where it generates so much traffic that jams get worse rather than better."

But as traffic prepared to take to the road from 7pm this evening after final checks are carried out, a Transport Scotland spokeswoman said: "The facts of the M74 speak for themselves.

"The contract commenced in May 2008 for a tender price of £457 million with a completion date of February 2012 at the latest. It opens eight months ahead of schedule and on course to be up to £20 million under the tender price.
"That is a remarkable feat by any standard and a testament to the meticulous pre-contract planning and professionalism of the teams employed to deliver what is the largest infrastructure contract currently on the ground in Scotland.
"Finishing early means motorists on the M8 will see the real benefits sooner. That helps individuals and businesses now."

And Infrastructure minister Alex Neil has said the new road was a key factor in securing £14m worth of private sector investment for the Clyde Gateway East business park, which is forecast to bring 700 jobs to the area.

Keep up-to-date with all the latest news by following us on twitter.com/scotcars

Jim McGill