After a long and determined bid by Joint Action Against the M74 (JAM 74) against the M74 extension, the Scottish Government has finally approved the extension to be built.

 

The decision was announced after the tender for the £445million was awarded to Interlink M74 consortium, with an allowance of £12million for the possible treatment of mine workings along the route.

 

Around £200million has already been invested in securing land and advanced works, which brings it to the grand total of £657 million. The following are the construction companies involved Morgan Est, Balfour Beatty, Morrison Construction and Sir Robert McAlpine and Work is expected to start in May and be completed by end of 2011.

 

According to the government the benefits will include reducing congestion on the M8, it will also provide an economic boost as well as providing the infrastructure for the visiting athletes and visitors who will be coming to Glasgow for 2014 Commonwealth Games. Stewart Stevenson, Transport Minister said, ‘The government has always been committed to the M74 project. Following an internal review of the procurement process the government is confident that the procedures are robust and we are happy for Glasgow City Council to award the contract to the Interlink M74 Joint Venture.’

 

All the political parties are in favour except the Scottish Green Party Mohammed Sarwar Glasgow Central MP welcomed the proposals for the M74 link and stated that this is great news for Glasgow and will be ready in time for the Common Wealth games in 2014. Jackson Carlaw MSP West of Scotland stated that he welcomed the news but time was against us, because we need to complete this well before the 2014 so it can be used to move the goods and services necessary for the construction work.

 

It was given a more cautious welcome from Lib Dem Robert Brown, MSP Glasgow whose own home area in Rutherglen has faced strong opposition. However now that it has been approved by the government he now thinks that this eventually provide relief to a lot of residential areas and local feeder roads from unnecessary traffi c. However Patrick Harvie, Glasgow Green MSP said, ‘This decision to go ahead with this is a dark day for Glasgow and a dark day for all those campaigning to tackle climate change.

 

The European Commission is still considering a complaint against the ministers for the anti-competitive tender process they have approved and this may yet throw a spanner in the works. The Greens were the only party to accept the independent report on the M74 which showed this project would be a costly disaster for Glasgow, would fail to tackle congestion, do nothing for employment across the region and undo attempts by ministers to tackle climate change.

 

The carbon cost alone makes of the M74 is the equivalent to the demolishing a substantial wind farm.’ Danny Alderlowe, Southside Central Councillor for the Green Party and member of JAM74 which was set up by local residents and campaigners who were opposed the M74.

 

Danny stated that he was very angry and disappointed at the decision. He said there was real consultations on behalf of what the local residents really wanted. This is bad news fro all the cyclists, walkers and people who want to keep healthy they don’t want to live under the major pollution. The health sector has been defeated by the wealth sector.