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Last Updated: Monday, 28 March, 2005, 19:20 GMT 20:20 UK
M74 protesters vow to fight link
M74
The M74 extension plan has caused controversy
Campaigners opposed to the M74 motorway extension in Glasgow have vowed to take their fight to the companies who will build the controversial link.

The five-mile stretch of road has been given the go-ahead despite a public inquiry ruling against it.

Supporters said the link would tackle Glasgow's traffic problems.

But protesters have promised to "up the ante" and take direct action which would cause "maximum disruption" to the firms involved in the project.

The campaign set up to oppose the new road, Jam 74, is also planning direct action similar to the treetop protest against the M77 which ended in 1995.

We will cause maximum disruption, targeting their show homes and disrupting their AGMs
Rosie Kane
Socialist MSP

Jam 74 (Joint Action Against the M74 ) said the new link was a waste of �500m of public money and would only lead to more traffic congestion.

Scottish Socialist Party MSP Rosie Kane said: "These firms will be profiting from the misery of communities and so we're going to up the ante and pay them a visit.

"We will cause maximum disruption, targeting their show homes and disrupting their AGMs.

"We will also take direct action against the Scottish Executive and chambers of commerce who back the road."

She said the road would pass over a community with one of the lowest car ownership rates in Europe.

"This road is not built for them and won't benefit them," said the MSP, whose Govanhill home lies beneath the proposed route.

JAM74 said almost 100 people had committed themselves to non-violent direct action within hours of Thursday's announcement that the project had received the green light.

Activists spent the weekend distributing "beat the bulldozers" pledge cards for people to sign.

The new road will follow a route from the Fullarton Road Junction near Carmyle to the M8 just west of the Kingston Bridge.

There will be junctions at Fullarton Road, Cambuslang Road, Polmadie Road and at Kingston.

It is estimated that the motorway could be built by 2008 and cost between �375m and �500m.

But John Downie, spokesman for the Scottish Federation of Small Businesses, dismissed the impact that protesters may have and said the cost and disruption would be worth it.

He said: "We've had this with the M77 and what we need to see is determination from the Scottish Executive to go ahead and not let those threats deter them."

Transport Minister Nicol Stephen said on Thursday that the Scottish Executive believed it was in the public interest to proceed with the project.

He said it was a "key element" in completing the motorway network and argued that the public inquiry reporter had not given enough weight to the positive aspects of the scheme.


SEE ALSO:
M74 opponents plan direct action
25 Mar 05 |  Scotland
Legal threat after M74 decision
24 Mar 05 |  Scotland
Anger over M74 funding proposal
15 Jan 04 |  Scotland
Protest at motorway inquiry
01 Dec 03 |  Scotland
Minister orders M74 inquiry
18 Jun 03 |  Scotland


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