Glasgow City Council has informed the Scottish Government that it backs the demolition of a section of the M8 motorway through the city centre.
The Glasgow Times reports that the council’s response to a Transport Scotland consultation is to remove the Woodside Viaduct, a key stretch of the motorway to the east of Charing Cross.
The government’s transport authority is exploring three options for the viaduct, which is currently undergoing repairs which have been ongoing for five years. The repair work has involved lane and junction closures leading to delays.
There are three options for the future of the viaducts.
One is to repair the two separate four lane road bridges between junctions 16 at Craighall and 17 at Charing Cross and which go over Garscube Road and New City Road at Cowcaddens. This would be a long term project and take up to three years and cost up to £200m.
The second option is to replace the viaduct, which would involve taking it down and rebuilding a new section from scratch. This would take between two and four years and cost up to £500m.
The third option, the most radical, to remove the structure completely and have a break in the motorway. This would take one to two years and the cost, at £125m, is the lowest of the options.
Glasgow City Council has written to Transport Scotland and said the option to “remove” is in line with council policy. Removing the bridges would involve traffic coming off the M8 and being directed on to existing local roads.
Traffic not destined for the city centre and surrounding areas would be directed to the M74 instead.
The council has responded to the consultation which opened earlier this year, stating:
“Overall we consider the option to ‘remove’ the M8 Woodside Viaduct could be consistent with the council’s position and as such the council is ready to work constructively with Transport Scotland to fully understand the nature of this opportunity, its feasibility and what alternatives and significant investment would be required to unlock transformational benefits.”
(Picture: Yay Images)
