There’s no need for proposed road

I read with interest the letter from Ronnie Cotterill regarding his support for the Cathkin Relief Road and note that he was unaware that the proposed road was the centre of a row.

To date over 1350 people have signed an online petition opposing the road and over 475 formal written objections to the road have been submitted to the planning department.

The traffic lights at East Kilbride Road and Western Road are designed to speed up the traffic flow, by the introduction of an additional lane on Western Road together with filter lanes. The relief road proposals contain a similar proposal for the junction of Fernhill Road/Croftfoot Road/ Blairbeth Road and Mill Street and this would improve that particular junction and should be supported.

The remainder of the Relief Road, however is not welcome. It will pass through a park, not waste ground overridden by weeds, overgrown shrubs, long grass and bushes as Mr Cotterill suggests. The so-called “green space” is actually a park, created by South Lanarkshire Council in 2001. He should look at the Opposition Group’s website and he will see a copy of the 2000 SLC plan for the park. He will also see a series of photographs taken at peak times of local roads showing a distinct lack of congestion. It is obvious from his comments about drinking dens and being unsafe for children that Mr Cotterill has not seen the park in recent years. He should take a walk along the paths and talk to some of the many locals who regularly use and enjoy the park.

Children do play there regularly and safely, summer and winter and it is used frequently by local residents with children, local nurseries and local primary schools for nature walks, fresh air and exercise.

The new road will hardly take motorists away from built up areas, when it will pass within 10 metres of existing houses. Children in Fernhill would have to cross two main roads to get to St Marks and Burnside Primary Schools, that will hardly make their lives safer.

Finally it is unthinkable that in the current financial climate, £21.6 million of public money could be spent on a road that is not required. J. Alan McLennan, Beech Avenue, High Burnside.