Glasgow's new link opening

A new highway link is opening today in the Scottish city of Glasgow.
February 28, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
A new highway link is opening today in the Scottish city of Glasgow. The 8km link may have cost as much as €772.4 million (£692 million) to build, around three times the original estimate for the work. The final amount for the actual cost of construction has yet to be accurately determined. The road is built as a fly-over for much of its length and connects the M74 motorway at Carmyle with the M8 motorway southwest of the Kingston Bridge in central Glasgow.

The project has been dogged by controversy since permission was given for the go-ahead back in late 1995. Critics say the link has been too expensive and will be detrimental to the environment in the area of city where it has been built. Supporters of the project however say the link will help unclog traffic Glasgow's centre at peak periods and will also help boost the economy in the area, as well as improving road safety and reducing risks to vulnerable road users in the city. Opponents of the scheme launched a number of leal challenges which helped delay construction but work on the link finally got underway in May 2008. The project was carried out by Interlink M74, a joint venture comprising 1146 Balfour Beatty, Morgan Est, Morrison Construction and 3081 Sir Robert McAlpine.
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