Residents still far from happy
Residents have vowed to leave their homes if the Cathkin Relief Road becomes disruptive and causes noise pollution.
Home-owners on Larchfield Drive have been left furious at the destruction of land and loss of green space.
First mooted over five decades ago and part of South Lanarkshire Council’s transport plan, the road only became possible due to funding from the Glasgow City Deal – an infrastructure partnership between the UK and Scottish governments and eight local authorities.
More than 1400 people signed a petition against the route and 466 objections were received when it went to a planning committee.
Supporters say the road will take pressure off other busy streets, such as Blairbeth Road and residential streets in Fernhill.
But after the official opening of the road on Friday, residents told the Reformer what they thought of the route.
Gail Morton said:“If it’s bad I’ll be moving. They’ve been talking about it for at least 50 years but we won’t use it, it’s a road to nowhere.
“It was lovely before. We had a walkway with wildlife and took our dogs up there. Where is there to go now?”
Anne Henderson has stayed in her home on Larchfield Drive for 45 years and is disappointed with what now lies outside her front door.
She said:“I think it’s rubbish, it’s going to be a total nightmare when the rain comes and all that mud comes spilling down on the road.
“For the money they’ve spent, they’ve got a disaster. I didn’t want it to start with, I knew it was coming but didn’t want it. They told me the road was going to be built when I bought the house.
“I can’t see any positives. It’s just divided two communities.”
Andrew Molloy said:“There has been a build-up of traffic but I don’t like the look of it, to be honest.
“I couldn’t say if it will be a benefit to the community but the noise could be a concern.
“I don’t really know the area very well but people are saying there is a lot of traffic jams.”
Another Larchfield Drive resident said: “I don’t see it working.
“They’ve done away with the green spaces but they’re always on at us to exercise.
“I do drive but the road is not really of any advantage to us.
“We just need to wait and see if the noise is a problem.”
Alan McLennan, who led the campaign against the road, said: “The next stage is to see if it lives up to the claims that were made but I suspect it won’t and I’ve said that before.
“I think the whole situation is going to be murder to be honest.
“With the road being closed down at Lidl, the roads in Rutherglen are horrendous at the moment and I don’t think this is going to help in any way because it is just going to increase the traffic on Mill Street.
“I can’t pin-point any positives of the road.”