Background
How long will the road be?
Eight kilometres (5 miles)
What route will it follow?
You can see the route here.
How many lanes will the road have?
Each carriageway will have three lanes with a hard shoulder, locally reducing to two lanes with a hard shoulder at the connecting link between the M74 and the M8.
Where will the junctions be built?
There will be three full four-way junctions at Fullarton Road, Cambuslang Road, and Polmadie Road, with a two-way junction constructed at Kingston. Details of the junctions are as follows:
Fullarton Road: On the slip roads to the west of Fullarton Road to complete the junction at the existing M74/Fullarton Road roundabout.
Cambuslang Road: On and off slip roads in both directions.
Polmadie Road: On and off slip roads in both directions.
Kingston: Westbound slip road off to Scotland Street/Carnoustie Street. Eastbound slip road on from Wallace Street/Carnoustie Street.
How much will it cost?
The contract for the construction of the road has been awarded for a fixed price of £445m plus an allowance of £12m for grouting of old mine workings.
Who will pay for the road?
The Scottish Government will pay the largest share at 87.35%. Glasgow City, South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire Councils will meet the balance.
When will it open?
It is anticipated the road will open in 2011.
Where will flyovers/bridges be built?
Bridges will be required at the following locations:
Fullarton Road
River Clyde
Cambuslang Road
Farmeloan Road
Rutherglen Station
Glasgow Road
Polmadie Road
Cathcart Road
Pollokshaws Road
Eglinton Street
The West Coast Mainline rail lines at Eglinton Street
The Paisley and City Union rail lines at West Street
West Street
Carnoustie Street
M8 to M74 eastbound connection
Community Impacts
How will I know what is going on?
A freephone helpline will be available 24 hours, 7 days a week on 0800 328 1697 for members of the public who have any queries in relation to the works.
Will M74 increase noise in local communities – such as Rutherglen, Govanhill, etc?
The full noise impacts from the new road have been fully assessed and reported in the Environmental Statement. As traffic transfers from local roads to the new motorway, local communities will experience a decrease in road traffic noise. A number of local communities, including Govanhill and parts of Rutherglen, will experience slight decreases in noise levels due to the reduction in traffic volumes on local roads.
Will the M74 not generate more traffic?
Studies undertaken for the proposed motorway show that, with current policy measures, the traffic generated throughout the study area will be very low. The increase will be no greater than 0.2%. The new motorway will relieve traffic pressures on the existing network rather than generate new traffic.
How will it affect my area?
For most areas along the route of the M74 Completion, it is expected that construction of the road will result in a reduction of traffic as vehicles transfer from the local road network on to the new road. A few areas may see a slight increase in traffic although measures will be implemented, where possible, to minimise this. The design of the road, including an extensive landscaping scheme, has been developed in a manner that minimises as much as possible the direct impact of the road on those areas through which it passes.
Won’t the new road suck extra traffic through neighbouring communities?
On the contrary, by relieving congestion on the M8 and by providing an alternative route across the south of Glasgow and South Lanarkshire, the M74 will lead to reduced traffic on most local roads over a wide area. Examples of local traffic reductions on opening include:
Rutherglen Main Street 15%
Cathcart Road (north of Aikenhead Road) 12%
Calder Street 12%
Dalmarnock Road 10%
London Road (easy of Parkhead Cross) 10%
How will it affect road safety?
Motorways are safer than other roads and with traffic re-routing to the new road from local roads there will be significant improvement in road safety and a reduction in road accidents.
How will it affect the environment?
The re-routing of traffic to the new road from the local road network will lead to a reduction in traffic flows on a number of local roads, leading to an improvement in the local environment in a number of sensitive areas along the route. Extensive landscaping and other mitigation measures will be incorporated in the design of the new road in order to improve its appearance and minimize any potential adverse effects on the environment. A detailed Environmental Assessment of the new road has been carried out in order to fully assess the potential impacts, both positive and negative, and to ensure that any necessary mitigation measures are incorporated into the design and construction of the road. By acting as a catalyst for regeneration of derelict areas, the road will assist in improving the overall environment along the road corridor.
How significantly will it change journey times?
The M74 Completion will significantly reduce journey times across the strategic road network in the West of Scotland by relieving congestion on the M8 and providing an alternative route around Glasgow. Journey times across and through Glasgow will be improved, with 5 – 10 minutes being saved per journey in peak hours. Examples of likely journey saving times are:
Hamilton to Glasgow Airport 12 minute saving
Glasgow Airport to EuroCentral 6 minute saving
Kilmarnock to Cumbernauld 5 minute saving
More importantly, the M74 Completion will reduce the current journey time uncertainty for businesses which arises as a result of the increasing congestion on the M8. This will allow business and industry to plan their business journeys and deliveries much more efficiently.
What will be done to suppress traffic noise on the new road?
A number of measures will be taken to ensure that noise from the road is kept to a minimum. The surfacing of the road will be specified to minimise noise from vehicle tyres. Noise barriers will be installed at a number of locations in order to minimise transmission of noise from the road.
Benefits
Why is it needed?
The M74 completion is needed to:
- Complete strategic transport links for West of Scotland business and industry, currently handicapped by severe M8 congestion
- Improve national economic competitiveness, including better access to Glasgow Airport
- Allow development of prime sites in high unemployment areas along the Clyde Corridor
- Relieve congestion on the local road network, allowing higher priority for public transport
- Improve road safety and reduce accidents
The completion of the M74 is seen as meeting three distinct but complementary objectives:
- To provide improved strategic links and national economic competitiveness for businesses throughout Scotland, in particular the west of Glasgow. These businesses are presently dependent on the increasingly congested M8 for much of their access to customers and suppliers in the rest of Scotland, in England and internationally. The provision of the M74 Completion will ensure that these existing businesses do not relocate elsewhere.
To provide the improved accessibility needed to unlock the potential for economic development and regeneration of vacant and underused sites along the south side of the River Clyde, from Cambuslang in the east through to Glasgow Airport and further west.
To attract traffic away from the congested local roads and streets, thereby providing the opportunities to improve conditions for buses, cyclists and pedestrians and to implement environmental improvements.
How many jobs will be created?
An estimated 350 jobs will be created during the three year construction period. Also, studies show that over 20,000 jobs could be attracted as areas close to the new road become developed and attract inward investment.
Will the scheme help to clear up contaminated land?
Yes. It will provide the opportunity to treat and make safe a number of areas of existing ground contamination and act as a catalyst for other developers.
How will the road assist economic regeneration of the area?
A number of initiatives are already underway that are reliant on the M74 Completion. These include the East End Regeneration Route and the Clyde Gateway project. These complementary schemes will further encourage investment in the area which because of the scheme will have a significantly raised profile in the eyes of the business community. The scheme itself will clean up areas of contamination and will act as a catalyst for others alongside. This is a significant knock on benefit to the local environment that would be lost if the scheme were not to proceed. The M74 Completion is also an integral part of the transport plan for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which will also bring significant regeneration opportunities to the east end of Glasgow.
