Petition is launched asking for changes
A petition demanding that South Lanarkshire Council carry out an urgent environmental audit on controversial plans to dual Stewartfield Way has been launched.
East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow MP, Dr Lisa Cameron is among opponents who fear the £62million City Deal plans will damage the environment and increase health risks to residents.
And now she is looking for support from locals before her petition is submitted to Parliament. It is calling the Government to “press upon South Lanarkshire Council to undertake an environmental audit of the Stewartfield Way proposal” and to “take account” of the strong opinions held by residents – before plans move any further forward.
SLC previously said they didn’t want to spend money on full environmental surveys until plans progress.
Results of a public consultation are expected in the spring.
The Scottish Government have said projects like Stewartfield Way should be adapted to meet the needs of the country’s greenhouse gas targets.
But campaigners calling for a U-turn on plans say dualling ‘flies in the face’ of the Climate Emergency declared by First Minster Nicola Sturgeon.
Projected to take three years to complete, the construction period alone would increase traffic pollution and damage to the environment.
This is backed by Dr Cameron who insists that dualling will lead to higher carbon emissions and more pollution caused by increased levels of traffic, as well as higher levels of noise pollution and damage to wildlife and the surrounding greenbelt.
The MP told the News: “I held a community meeting in Stewartfield and residents who attended were keen that a petition be established in order to raise their environmental concerns and concerns regarding impact upon the Heritage Loch.
“I agreed to undertake a petition to raise awareness and urge the council to undertake an environmental audit of the project in the first instance.”
But Green campaigners have called on Stewartfield Way dualling to be replaced by a ‘Green City Deal’.
This came after the The City Deal Cabinet ‘red-flagged’ the Stewartfield Way dualling plans deeming it “unachievable” due to “major issues”.
This was downgraded to amber in committee papers this month – however this sill denotes that “significant issues exist”.
SLC say, however, the plans would help boost economic growth in the town and the dualling would see less cars queuing therefore “reduce the amount of emissions caused by idling engines”.
Head of roads and transportation services, Gordon Mackay, said: “As has been stated on a number of occasions, all necessary environmental surveys and assessments will be undertaken in due course depending on how the scheme progresses.”