What will the junction numbers be on the new M74 motorway?
Starting at the west end of the new motorway:
Fullarton Road junction will change to Junction 2A.
Additionally, the existing junctions at Carmyle Avenue and Daldowie will change to 3 and 3A respectively.
Maryville Junction will remain Junction 4.
What is the purpose of the segregation barrier on the westbound M8 on approach to Junction 23?
The introduction of the segregation barrier will mean that drivers will no longer be able to exit at Junction 23 from the main M8 westbound carriageway (from Kingston Bridge). Otherwise the junction will continue to operate as it currently does.
With M74 westbound traffic now joining the M8 at Junction 22, the segregation barrier is a necessary safety measure which will prevent the potentially dangerous conflict between M74 to M8 traffic and “weaving” manoeuvre of M8 westbound vehicles approaching the Junction 23 off-slip.
Alternative routes for M8 traffic are available via M77 Junction 1 and M8 Junction 24. Access to the Junction 23 off-slip will be available to M74 traffic.
How does the new M74 link into the existing M8 south of the Kingston Bridge?
The new M74 will link into the existing outer carriageways of the M8 motorway, south of Kingston Bridge, at a new Kingston Junction (M74 Junction 1).
The new M74 will connect with the outer carriageway of the westbound M8, south of the Kingston Bridge, allowing access to the southbound M77, with traffic continuing west rejoining the M8 after Junction 22.
NB. There will be no direct access to the eastbound M8 onto the Kingston Bridge. The new M74 will remove considerable volumes of traffic which currently use the M8 through Glasgow.
Visit the M74 Completion website for detailed information.
Why does the new M74 not link directly to the eastbound M8 onto the Kingston Bridge?
The new route is a key strategic link in the central Scotland motorway network. Completion of the M74 will remove congestion from the M8 and provide an alternative route across Glasgow.
Extensive work was undertaken to arrive at the optimum scheme for the new motorway, including assessment of an option with direct connections to Kingston Bridge. This work demonstrated that providing direct connections would be very expensive and would also add traffic to the already heavily congested bridge, negating some of the benefits of taking traffic off the M8.
The new M74 will facilitate key regeneration projects in the south and east of Glasgow, and in South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire by providing direct links to many development opportunities.
What is the purpose of the screening as it only spoils the view of Glasgow from the new road?
Screening (noise barriers) is an essential mitigation measure identified by the Environmental Assessment to minimise the potential adverse effects of traffic noise at certain locations. Integrated transparent screening is provided on bridges to provide an open aspect and a sense of location at road, rail and river crossings which mark key geographic locations, whilst also reducing the perceived ‘depth’ of the bridges from below.
Gates are provided to allow access for maintenance personnel and also to provide escape routes for members of the public in the event of an incident on the motorway.
Please explain the rationale behind the design of the noise barriers.
In locations where lengthy sections of barrier are necessary, consideration was given to varying the design, form and colour to create visual interest and relieve the monotony of long lengths of plain barrier. The colour schemes at each location take their cue from the surrounding landscape/area (eg Oatlands blue at Polmadie).
Can you explain why the signs on the M77 and M8 gantries are not signing Glasgow Airport.
Upon its completion, the new M74 will provide an alternative route choice for strategic traffic using the trunk road network across Glasgow. A strategic routeing strategy has been developed for traffic travelling northbound on the M77 and eastbound on the M8 to various destinations/routes via the existing M8 and the new M74. Certain gantries have also been altered to sign the alternative connection between the M77 & M8 via the recently constructed Seaward Street connecting loop.
Alterations to signing have been given careful consideration to ensure that the necessary destinations and route choices were signed appropriately to drivers from all advance gantries, taking into consideration the issue of legibility of the signing and the requirements for ensuring adequate notice of route choice, while avoiding the need for expensive provision of new gantries.
Additional static signs will be erected to ensure that appropriate guidance is given to drivers travelling to the airport.
Now that construction is complete, what is the final cost of this scheme?
Opening of the new section of motorway, marks only one part of the wider project. A number of activities remain and it is too early to confirm a final cost. However, indications are the scheme will be delivered under budget.
The new road is a motorway so why are there different speed limits and why is it not 70mph?
The new route alignment, which involves several crossings of railways, roads and the River Clyde, was identified following extensive work to assess traffic, engineering, geotechnical, physical and environmental constraints, together with costs and impacts on businesses and other properties. The constrained nature of the route imposes a number of restrictions on road geometry which in turn dictate safe speed limits.
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:
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?
The new road opened to traffic on Tuesday 28 June 2011.
Where will flyovers/bridges be built?
Bridges will be required at the following locations:
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 attract 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 (east 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.
Why is it needed?
The M74 completion is needed to:
The completion of the M74 is seen as meeting three distinct but complementary objectives:
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.
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