Controversial plans to upgrade Stewartfield Way look set to finally be approved after they passed another hurdle this week.
Councillors approved an augmented strategic business case for the £62.2 million project by 17 votes to 11.
But the council leader warned the city deal funding assigned for the project could be lost if they don’t act quickly in taking the next step.
Councillor John Ross said: “Other authorities are looking over our shoulders and are only happy to see South Lanarkshire fail.”
A U-turn was taken on the controversial dualling of Stewartfield Way last March after the results of an impassioned public consultation were tallied and calls for the plans to be ditched were made.
Back then, South Lanarkshire Council revealed it would no longer seek to dual the entire length of the main road, rather certain sections instead.
That included dualling between the James Hamilton Heritage Loch junction (at the eastern end of Stewartfield Crescent) eastwards to the Kingsgate/roundabout. It is hoped this will help manage existing congestion around Kingsgate, with efforts to do the same at Philipshill and Mavor Avenue.
Proposals to introduce a new roundabout at the Playsport access and to widen the existing dual carriageway between Kingsgate and Mavor Avenue roundabout were retained.
At a meeting last week, the council’s executive director for community and enterprise, Michael McGlynn, outlined the changes to the project. Following the “extensive consultation” in November and December 2019, a dedicated cycleway and walkway along the northern side of Stewartfield Way is to be considered.
It is hoped that this would enhance the active travel network and feed into planned improvements on the East Kilbride railway line.
Enhanced bus infrastructure beyond the route has also been included to reduce congestion.
Mr McGlynn said the change and growth of the plans was to “reflect the design development” of the area and, “to some extent, the passage of time”.
He added: “A review for the detailed economic drivers will be undertaken as part of the outline business case which is the next stage.
“Further work is required to detail the project design and specification in terms of economic outputs. Those details will come through the outline business case.”
A study by financial experts KPMG made public said the project could be worth around £570m to the East Kilbride area – but there was no clear explanation of how this was calculated.
As part of the consultation period, campaigners slammed SLC for ploughing ahead with the project, suggesting it flew in the face of the climate emergency declared by the Minister Nicola Sturgeon at that time.
And with the project expected to take three years to complete, it was expected there would be significant environmental damage during the construction alone.
