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ROADS (SCOTLAND) ACT 1984; ACQUISITION
OF LAND (AUTHORISATION PROCEDURE)(SCOTLAND) ACT 1947
M74 SPECIAL ROAD (FULLARTON ROAD TO WEST OF KINGSTON
BRIDGE) ORDERS
REPORT OF PUBLIC LOCAL INQUIRY INTO OBJECTIONS
VOLUME 1 : MAIN REPORT
PART 1: DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND
CHAPTER 1 : DESCRIPTION OF SCHEME AND PROCEDURAL
HISTORY
Description of proposal and setting
1.1 The M74C as proposed for consideration at the public
local inquiry would consist of a 6 lane motorway
approximately 5 miles long, extending from Fullarton Road
on the eastern edge of the Glasgow built up area westwards
to the Tradeston area to the south of the city centre and
close to the south end of the Kingston Bridge (M8
motorway). The route would be within the administrative
areas of the City of Glasgow and South Lanarkshire Council,
divided about 50/50 between them.
1.2 At the eastern end, the new scheme would link up to
the existing M74 motorway (Glasgow - Carlisle), with the
completion of the Fullarton Road junction to give access on
and off the new section of motorway. There would be two
intermediate diamond junctions along the route of the new
motorway, at Cambuslang Road on the east side of
Rutherglen, and at Polmadie Road, adjacent to Oatlands. At
Tradeston, there would be off and on ramps linking to the
local road system, and two lane east/west connections to
the M8 to the south west of the Kingston Bridge. These
links would give a direct connection between the new
section of the M74 and the western section of the M8,
serving the M77 (Kilmarnock/Ayr motorway), the southwestern
suburbs of the city, Paisley, Renfrew, Glasgow Airport, the
Erskine Bridge, and the settlements further downstream
(Port Glasgow and Greenock).
1.3 There would be no direct motorway connections
between the extended M74 and the Kingston Bridge, so that
traffic wishing to enter the city centre or west end from
the new motorway, or vice versa, would have to use the
local road network at Tradeston (consisting mainly of a
rectilinear grid of one way streets) to gain access to the
Kingston Bridge by means of the existing east facing ramps,
or use other nearby bridges to cross the Clyde to enter the
city centre.
1.4 The route of the proposed new motorway would be
generally parallel to and a little to the south of the
River Clyde, which follows a meandering course in this
area. Much of the central section of the new motorway
(about 4 kms) would be alongside the north side of the west
coast main railway line (WCML). The route would diverge
from the railway line at the eastern end, to cross the
River Clyde on a major new bridge near Auchenshuggle; and
towards the western end, to link up with the M8. There
would also be a short deviation away from the railway line
at Polmadie Road, to avoid the Polmadie rail depot.
1.5 Much of the central section of the new motorway
adjacent to Rutherglen, Farme Cross, Toryglen and Oatlands
would be on embankments, and also on the approach to the
Fullarton Road junction, while it would be in a cutting on
the east side of Cathcart Road, to the north of Govanhill.
The western section of the new road would be elevated on
embankments, bridges, and a 600m long viaduct to cross the
local road system in the vicinity of Pollokshaws Road,
Eglinton Street, and West Street/Tradeston.
1.6 Apart from a short semi-rural section at the eastern
end of the new motorway adjacent to the new bridge over the
Clyde, the route is through a heavily urbanised area.
Existing uses within the land take of the proposed road are
largely industrial and storage and distribution, including
a good deal of vacant and derelict land reflecting the long
period that this corridor has been earmarked for the
proposed new road. There is a dense pattern of relatively
small older commercial properties in the Kingston/Tradeston
area at the western end of the motorway, and larger newer
commercial properties (much apparently dating from the
development of industrial estates in the 1960s) along the
central section of the route. There are now some 8
residential properties remaining within the land take.
There are also limited areas of other former uses,
including a local football ground at Southcroft Park
(Glasgow Road, Rutherglen). The eastern section of the
route, between Cambuslang and Fullarton Road, is
characterised by much larger industrial or former
industrial sites, and a somewhat less urban character.
1.7 Land uses adjoining the route of the proposed
motorway include residential communities to the south of
the route and WCML at Rutherglen, Toryglen, and Govanhill,
and on the north side at Farme Cross and Oatlands. The
Pollokshaws Road/Eglinton Street area is in mixed use, with
significant sections of residential use close to the
proposed road. Non residential uses along the motorway
corridor are largely industrial/commercial towards the
eastern end and along the north side of the route, and on
the south side in the vicinity of Polmadie Road. Rutherglen
town centre (mixed retail, local services, and community
uses) lies close by to the south of the route. There are
sports facilities at Toryglen (Burnhill Sports Centre)
immediately to the south of the WCML and motorway route.
Local impacts, including visual intrusion, community
severance, noise, and air quality are covered in chapter 5
of this report (physical and community impact).
History of the project
1.8 Prior to 1996, the trunk road network for the most
part did not run through cities or towns and motorways
within Glasgow were the responsibility of the former
Strathclyde Regional Council (SRC). In 1996, the road
network was reviewed to provide the road user with a
coherent and continuous system of routes and the Glasgow
motorway network was trunked at that time.
1.9 Proposals for completing the M74 have evolved over a
considerable period of time. Options for the extension of
the motorway network around the southern side of Glasgow
appeared in highway plans of the City of Glasgow in the
1960s. These plans were subsequently recognised in
strategic planning, with a southern corridor emerging as
the preferred link in the 1988 Strathclyde Structure Plan
update (Document TRA/A/26).
1.10 In the early 1990s, a detailed alignment in the
southern corridor was developed by SRC, culminating in 1995
in the grant of planning permission for the construction of
the M74 Northern Extension, extending 8km from Fullarton
Road, Cambuslang, to the west of Kingston Bridge. An
application for renewal of this planning permission, sought
by Renfrewshire Council (RC), was granted in 2001.
1.11 A proposed review of the trunk road network,
published in 1994 in the Scottish Office consultation
document 'Shaping the Trunk Road Network' (Document
TRA/A/5), recognised the future extension of the M74
between Cambuslang and the M8 as an important proposal and
recommended that its planning should pass to central
government on local government reorganisation. In the
publication 'Shaping the Trunk Road Network - The
Government's Response' (TRA/A/5), the extension of the M74
is shown as a possible new trunk motorway. Following local
government reorganisation in 1996, the scheme fell to
Glasgow City Council (GCC) and South Lanarkshire Council
(SLC) to progress.
1.12 A 1998 White Paper entitled "Travel Choices for
Scotland" established an appraisal methodology based on 5
criteria, namely, environment, safety, economy, integration
and accessibility (see Chapter 2, paragraph 2.20 for
detail). An M74 scheme from Fullarton Road to Kingston
Bridge was tested using this methodology, the appraisal
identifying very substantial economic and accident
reduction benefits. The integration and accessibility
aspects were assessed as positive and significant,
delivering the following benefits:
- Benefits to urban public transport operations;
- Improved links to air, rail, ferry and port
facilities;
- Improved public transport links from regeneration
areas to employment, education, and health facilities;
and
- Removal of development constraints in Glasgow,
Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire.
1.13 The environmental assessment produced a mixed
result. In particular, the detrimental affect on listed
buildings along the route and the high ratio of peak to
off-peak traffic flows, suggesting there would be
substantial volumes of car commuting on the route, were
identified as concerns. The Scottish Executive referred the
scheme back to GCC, SLC and RC for further review,
addressing the concerns raised by the appraisal.
1.14 Following further discussions between the Scottish
Executive, GCC, SLC and RC, the Minister for Transport in
the Executive announced to the Scottish Parliament on
28 September 2000, that she had accepted, in principle, the
need for a strategic road link in the M74 corridor and that
she would be meeting council leaders to discuss a sensible
and affordable way to undertake the scheme through a
partnership with the local authorities
Partnership Agreement
1.15 In a Partnership Agreement (Document TRA/A/11), the
Scottish Ministers agreed with GCC, SLC and RC, to take
forward a scaled down version of both the 1995 scheme and
the scheme considered in the Strategic Roads Review. The
agreement was for a 3 lane motorway in each direction, with
2 new intermediate junctions and the upgrade of 2 existing
junctions, following the line of the route for which
planning permission was granted in 1995, with the exception
of a local realignment at Polmadie to avoid the railway
depot.
Legislative Framework
1.16 Under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 (TRA/A/1),
Scottish Ministers, as Trunk Road Authority, are
responsible for reviewing the trunk road network in
Scotland, managing and maintaining the network, including
extending it where appropriate, and for ensuring a safe and
efficient national network of roads.
1.17 The M74 is the main strategic link between west
central Scotland and the motorway network in England. It
runs north from the national border but currently
terminates at the Fullarton Road junction near Cambuslang.
The TRA has reviewed the trunk road network and considers
that the gap between Fullarton Road and the M8 to the west
of Kingston Bridge represents a vital missing link in the
central Scotland motorway network. To provide the missing
link, the TRA has prepared a Special Road Scheme under the
1984 Act to enable the construction of an 8km motorway
extension, with 3 lanes in each direction and 2
intermediate full diamond junctions.
1.18 The Special Road Scheme is the subject of 3 draft
Orders published by Scottish Ministers on 24 March 2003.
These Orders are:-
(a) The M74 Special Road (Fullarton Road to M8 West of
Kingston Bridge) Special Road and Connecting Roads Scheme
200 (Document TRA/A/2).
(b) The M74 Special Road (Fullarton Road to M8 West of
Kingston Bridge) Side Roads Order 200 (Document
TRA/A/3).
(c) The M74 Special Road (Fullarton Road to M8 West of
Kingston Bridge) Compulsory Purchase Order 200 (Document
TRA/A/4).
1.19 An Environmental Statement (Document TRA/F/1) and a
Non Technical Summary of the Environmental Statement
(TRA/F/2) were also published along with the draft Orders
in March 2003.
Public Consultation
1.20 The M74C has been the subject of wide consultation,
with major public information exercises and public
exhibitions. Consultation included the following: -
a. A dedicated web-site was launched in May 2002.
This web-site, which is updated as the Scheme
development progresses, includes information on the
scheme background and benefits, and shows the public
exhibition material and a virtual reality model.
b. Leaflets explaining various aspects of the scheme
and the statutory processes have also been produced
(Documents TRA/A/20, TRA/A/21, TRA/A/22, TRA/A/23 and
TRA/A/24) and have been widely circulated during the
development of the Scheme, copies being made available
at the Mitchell Library, Govanhill Library, the Royal
Burgh House in Rutherglen and a number of council
offices in Glasgow, South Lanarkshire and
Renfrewshire.
c. During the development of the Scheme proposals,
public exhibitions were held on 23 to 26 September 2002
in Rutherglen, Govanhill and Pollokshields to
illustrate the 'Developing Proposals' for the M74C. At
these exhibitions comments were invited from the public
on the developing proposals. Over 1650 people attended
these exhibitions.
d. Public exhibitions were held from 25 to 29 March
2003 to illustrate the final proposal. These
exhibitions coincided with the commencement of the
statutory process. In addition, advertisements were
placed in local streets in the vicinity of the proposed
route. Over 1600 people attended these exhibitions.
e. Public Notices advertising the Special Road and
Connecting Roads Scheme, the Notice of Determination
and the Environmental Impact Assessment were placed in
The Herald, The Evening Times, The Edinburgh Gazette
and The Rutherglen Reformer in March 2003. Public
Notices advertising the Compulsory Purchase Order were
placed in The Herald, The Evening Times and The
Rutherglen Reformer between March and April 2003. In
addition, these orders were advertised in local streets
in the vicinity of the proposed route.
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