Cathkin Relief Road gets Glasgow’s support
Glasgow City Council this week gave its backing to the controversial Cathkin Relief Road through Fernhill Park.
Members of the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Cabinet gave approval to the outline business case for the road at a meeting yesterday (Tuesday).
As part of the City Deal, Glasgow will provide funding of £ 346,500 for the £ 21.6million project.
The road has sparked outrage among those living on the route.
Once complete, a 7.3m wide carriageway will connect Cathkin Bypass with Fernhill Road near the junction with Croftfoot Road.
A report to Glasgow councillors said: “Rutherglen has had a longstanding problem of congestion in the town centre which has led to air quality problems in particular.
“The council wishes to remove undesirable through (strategic) traffic from the town centre and other unsuitable radial routes, and re-route it via an improved “strategic” local network.
“The Cathkin Relief Road will support this objective of enhancing the local and strategic road network.
“The local area is categorised by higher than average levels of unemployment, with a lower proportion of work age population. South Lanarkshire also has a centralised pattern, whereby the majority live and work within the area.
“The Cathkin Relief Road will improve accessibility for areas with high levels of deprivation. The scheme will promote new development areas; assisting with job creation; and provide improved access to the wider road and transport network and the opportunities this brings. “Policy documentation at a national, regional and local level has been reviewed and supports the Cathkin Relief Road.”
Councillors were told the scheme “delivers very good value for money,” and that no detrimental environmental issues were anticipated.
South Lanarkshire Council gave planning permission for the Cathkin Relief Road last month, despite massive opposition from locals.
Officers said it would bring major benefits for the Rutherglen and Cambuslang area.
But Alan McLennan, who represented the Cathkin Relief Road Opposition group, vowed to take the fight to the City Deal board.
He added: “They’re not listening to what the people want. The people who live around this road are the people our elected representatives are not listening to.”
The £1.13billion Glasgow and Clyde Valley City Deal is an agreement between the UK Government, the Scottish Government and eight local authorities across Glasgow and the Clyde Valley and will see total investment in the South Lanarkshire area of around £170m.