Upgrade of Glasgow-Edinburgh Road to Motorway Slips as Scottish Government Sit on Report for a Year

Scottish Government ministers have been criticised for failing to make a decision on the upgrade of the A8 despite the fact they have been sitting on the conclusions of two reports, the latter of which was handed over a year ago.

A Public Local Inquiry into the proposals was held in 2008 and the Reporter’s conclusions were formally submitted to the government in October of that year – hence ministers have sat on that decision for over 20 months. A separate report on the M8/M73/M74 improvements was submitted to ministers on 24 July, 2009 – now a year on their desks.

Under the original plans unveiled in 2003, the project to improve the 10km section of the A8 between the M73 at Baillieston and the A73 at Newhouse to ensure a complete motorway between Glasgow and Edinburgh should have been completed by the end of 2010, but Transport Scotland estimates the date for completion is now 2013/2014 (see notes).

Wendy Alexander, Labour MSP for Paisley North, said:

“The Scottish Government needs to explain why it is taking so long to make a decision on the upgrade of the A8.

“Ministers have been sitting on more than one Inquiry report for the past year and this project is in danger of slipping further and further behind the original timetable.

“Completing the M8 is vital for motorists who commute in and around Glasgow and Lanarkshire and to Edinburgh. Why have Scottish Government ministers sat on their hands for 20 months and 12 months following receipt of Inquiry reports?

“Business wants the route, the travelling public want it, and Scotland’s economy needs it – so why are they still dragging their feet? This vital piece of infrastructure could provide much needed construction jobs, and help counteract the Salmond slump.

“It took the Scottish Government less than six months to make a decision on the Aberdeen Peripheral Route after they were handed a report of the public local inquiry.

“The Scottish Government now need to explain why when it comes to the M8 there is only dither and delay.”