Sidelines

[Previous entry: "apatosaurus"] [Next entry: "baggy"]

Friends of the Earth & JAM74 seem to be conducting a textbook opposition to the M74 extension, a proposed 5 mile motorway on 40ft concrete stilts into the centre of Glasgow. A Public Inquiry recommended against the road, pointing out that a multimodal study into the route suggested that the motorway would increase long-distance commuting, therefore measures for "locking in" any congestion benefits would need to be put forward. No such measures had been forthcoming in the planning proposal. In March 2005, the Scottish Executive approved the road anyway. FOE and JAM74 have just successfully appealed the decision, citing Ministers' use of new information in their approval of the road. This may delay things by up to a year, even more impressive given that some interests want this road very badly, saying it's the final piece of a roads jigsaw puzzle that will solve all Scotland's congestion problems and create a celtic shangri-la.