Roadchaos
Big delays snarl up Glasgow Road
Motorists in Rutherglen have been left fuming after temporary traffic lights caused major congestion on Tuesday morning.
Aikenhead Road remains shut while Glasgow Road is down to one lane at Shawfield and there are other works on Stonelaw Road.
Motorists in Rutherglen have been left fuming after temporary traffic lights caused major congestion on Tuesday morning.
Glasgow Road is down to one lane at Shawfield with a three-way light system in place.
There are also Scottish Water works on Stonelaw Road, which would be another alternative route, especially for drivers coming from East Kilbride.
The Glasgow Road work is due to a reinforcement project being undertaken in Polmadie by Scottish Power. A spokeswoman apologised to travellers and said they were due to finish on Sunday.
Officers from South Lanarkshire Council are now in talks with Scottish Power to try to alleviate pressure on the road network.
Drivers reported massive queues and lengthy delays on Tuesday.
The problem has been made worse by the closure of Aikenhead Road in King’s Park for Scottish Water works.
Many commuters feel there should have been better planning given the Aikenhead Road closure.
One driver, Andy Raeburn, said: “I knew this would happen when I saw the signs on Monday for the lights.
“They have not taken Aikenhead Road into account and they didn’t give us any real notice that this was happening.”
Problems were reported as far away as Burnside with the Stonelaw Road works also having an impact.
Lesley McGoldrick said: “You can’t get out of Rutherglen, it’s a nightmare.
“There are roadworks on Stonelaw Road, Glasgow Road and Aikenhead Road. Who gets paid big bucks to cause this chaos?”
Lianne Patrick also got in touch to say: “I’m currently sitting on the bus at the bridge before Burnside. Been here God knows how long and can’t get off bus because of where we are.”
A spokeswoman for Scottish Water said: “The work on Stonelaw Road, Rutherglen, is part of a wider programme of work to upgrade the sewage system and reduce flooding in the local area.
“Scottish Water apologises for any inconvenience caused and appreciates that these works can be disruptive for people short-term. However, it’s vital that these works are undertaken to significantly reduce the risk of flooding which can be even more disruptive for communities in the long-term.
“Any work undertaken by Scottish Water, or by an alliance partner, is planned in liaison with the roads department within the respective council area.”
Gordon Mackay, head of roads and transportation services at South Lanarkshire Council, said: “We are extremely mindful of the current pressures on the road network and while we can seek to influence the timing of public utility works, we are obliged to allow access for necessary infrastructure works.
“We are however, in dialogue with Scottish Power with a view to ensuring that inconvenience to the travelling public, as a consequence of ongoing works, is minimised as far as is practicable.”
South Lanarkshire Council are due to carry out further roadworks on Glasgow Road later this week.
However, a spokeswoman said this was a simple pothole repair and would be carried out during quiet periods.