NEWS RELEASE - Thursday 13th June 2002

Scottish Executive report demonstrates that planned M74 elevated motorway will worsen congestion in Glasgow

A Scottish Executive report released today demonstrates that Britain's largest motorway scheme will massively increase congestion and pollution in Glasgow. TRANSform Scotland welcome the first independent recognition (1) that the proposed M74 Northern Extension, a £250m elevated motorway through urban Glasgow, will worsen congestion and environmental conditions in the city. Assessment of the impacts of the proposed urban M74 in the CSTCS demonstrates that its construction would (2):

¥ Have no significant impact on traffic levels on the Kingston Bridge;
¥ Increase traffic levels on Glasgow South Side radial roads;
¥ Markedly increase traffic levels entering Glasgow from the east;
¥ Add to existing problems of congestion on the M8 and M77 west and south of the city.

Colin Howden, Campaign Manager of TRANSform Scotland, said: "The Executive's study confirms our view that the M74 would do nothing but increase congestion and worsen environmental conditions in Glasgow. When the Scottish Executive is committed to stabilising road traffic levels across Scotland, it is ludicrous that the largest transport project in Scotland will massively increase traffic, congestion and pollution in the city. There is an urgent need for scarce resources to be diverted towards alternative and higher priority proposals than the £250m urban M74."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

(1) The Final Reports from the Central Scotland Transport Corridor Studies (CSTCS), which looks into the future of the Scotland's Central Belt transport networks, is being published today by the Scottish Executive. The CSTCS is being carried out by consultants MVA on behalf of the Scottish Executive.

(2) Reference: CSTCS Final Report on M74 Corridor, pp. 35-48 and Figures 5.5-5.17. The report concludes that Glasgow in 2010 with the M74 scheme built Òshows a network which is more congested (even with the additional capacity provided by the M74) than in 2000.Ó (ibid, pp. 42, 5.6.3). (3) A detailed TRANSform Scotland commentary on the CSTCS is available on request.