JAM74 NEWS RELEASE - Thursday 15th January 2004

Astronomical cost of M74 attacked:
Mission to Mars would give better value than five miles of elevated motorway

Joint Action against the M74 (JAM74) [1] have today condemned the Scottish Executive's action at releasing tender documents for the proposed M74 northern extension [2] while the Public Local Inquiry into the project is still underway. News reports have suggested that the M74 northern extension, Britain's largest road scheme, could top £1 billion in cost [3].

Will Jess, Chair of JAM74, said:

"The publication of this document during the middle of the Public Inquiry demonstrates the contempt with which the Scottish Executive holds the planning process. The news that the cost of the M74 has again doubled, and that it may well be built and owned by private companies, further undermines the evidential basis of the case presented by the Scottish Executive at the Inquiry. Through its actions, the Scottish Executive has fundamentally undermined confidence in the perceived fairness of the planning process." [4]

Will Jess continued:

"This massive cost escalation for the M74 further demonstrates the embarrassing failure of Labour's 'integrated transport' policy. It is astonishing that the Scottish Executive can claim to be committed to 'environmental justice' when its largest transport project is an elevated motorway in a city where 60% of households have no access to a car. It is incredible that the Executive can claim to be committed to tackling climate change when traffic-generating road schemes get priority for transport funding. It shows that Executive's willingness to waste taxpayers' money when projects like this have never been evaluated against more cost-effective and sustainable alternatives."

"With the Scottish Executive now committed to billion pound transport projects, perhaps it is time for the Executive to challenge the Americans in the race for Mars? They already have joined George Bush in their desire to trash the environment of this planet." [5]

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

[1] JAM74

JAM74 is a coalition of community, environmental and sustainable transport groups. Member organisations of JAM74 include Residents Against the M74, Friends of the Earth Scotland, Scottish Association for Public Transport, the Scottish Green Party, the Scottish Socialist Party & TRANSform Scotland.

[2] The M74 Northern Extension

Since 1999, the Scottish Executive has put in place a £1 billion road-building programme - despite its much-trumpeted commitments to sustainable transport and environmental justice.

The most damaging of the Executive's roads projects is GlasgowÕs M74, the largest urban motorway project in Britain, and perhaps in the whole of Europe. The project, five miles of elevated multi-lane motorway slicing through south Glasgow, is a remnant of 1960s-style roads planning. There has never been an independent analysis of alternatives to the M74 despite its vast price tag and major environmental and social impacts.

[3] M74 cost rises to £1 billion

The M74 has quadrupled in price over the course of one year: this time last year, the M74 was priced at £245 million.

In March 2003, in a note in an Executive press release, it emerged that the project would cost not £245 million, but between £375 million and £500 million.

Today's Herald (15/1/04) reports that the M74 may cost over £1 billion - http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/8048-print.shtml

[4] M74 Public Local Inquiry

The PLI into the M74 began on 1st December 2003 and will run on to the start of March 2004. JAM74, alongside Friends of the Earth Scotland, are the main objectors to the project at the Inquiry.

JAM74 have previously challenged the First Minister Jack McConnell over his "biased" remarks made in advance of the start of the Inquiry - http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/info/news/press/pr20031203.html

JAM74 have previously raised the complaint that the planning process for the M74 is inherently flawed in as much as the developer, the planning authority and the planning inquiry process are all led by the Scottish Executive. A final Ministerial decision on the project will also be taken by the Scottish Executive. JAM74 regards this process as potentially being in conflict with Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

[5] Mission to Mars

JAM74 would of course call for a Strategic Environmental Assessment of any trip to Mars (something that has never been carried out for the M74)!

[6] JAM74's objection to the M74

NB: A detailed media briefing is available on request.

In brief, JAM74 are objecting to the M74 for the following reasons:

* The project is a waste of £375-500 million of public money because it would not reduce congestion levels in Glasgow. (i)
* It would devastate already disadvantaged communities and increase traffic levels on radial roads, which would become more dangerous for children and other vulnerable road users.
* When most Glasgow households have no access to a car (59%) this is an inequitable use of scarce public resources. The funds should instead be invested in public transport alternatives.
* This motorway would generate more traffic, seriously worsening noise levels, the city's toxic air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.

(i) Central Scotland Transport Corridor Studies 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).