Appeal stops M74 go-ahead for a year
Road rage By Ross Mc kinnon (The Glaswegian)
Campaigners have called for the Scottish Executive to drop plans for the M74 extension and avoid a potentially expensive year long delay. The motorway project, estimated to cost £500 million, has been put on hold for up to 12 months after an appeal by Friends of the Earth and Joint Action Against M74 (JAM74).
Duncan McLaren, chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: "We want to see this legal case dealt with as promptly as possible. "The communities affected by this massive scheme have already suffered blight as a result of this motorway proposal for far too many years.
"Of course, the best way for the Executive to end that blight would be to drop the proposal for good. "What we are attempting to do is prevent £500 million of taxpayers' money from being wasted on yet another pointless and environmentally-damaging motorway project. Dropping the expensive and unnecessary M74 proposal now would also provide a great symbol -in the run-up to the G8 summit of the Executive's commitment to get to grips with climate change.
"Their apparent determination to bulldoze this road through leaves them without even a fig-leaf to cover the inadequacy of their practice on climate change."
Last month, Friends of the Earth and JAM74 began their appeal against the Executive's decision to overturn the Reporters' report which recommended the M74 be refused. Also the Freight Transport Association has said the A82 from Glasgow to Inverness is "in dire need of widening".