Glasgow backs M8 removal option for Woodside viaducts

Glasgow City Council has said the option to remove the m8 Woodside viaducts could fit its position, putting the cheapest permanent plan for the north Glasgow stretch on the table. The council will now press its case while Transport Scotland consults on repair, replace or remove options for the motorway section between Junction 16 and Junction 17.

Christy Mearns and the council

Christy Mearns, the Scottish Greens councillor, is due to raise the issue at a full council meeting on Thursday. She will ask that the city convener write to the new transport secretary urging support for the remove option, giving the council a formal route to back the proposal.

A council spokesperson said: "Overall, we consider that the option to 'Remove' the M8 Woodside viaducts could be consistent with the Council's position." The same letter added: "As such, the Council is ready to work constructively and collaboratively 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."

Costs on the table

Temporary work to the Woodside Viaducts has already been ongoing for years at a cost of £152m, and repairs on the support structures started in March 2021. Transport Scotland is consulting on three permanent options: remove the viaducts, repair them, or replace them completely.

The remove option is the cheapest. Officials estimate it would cost less than £125m and take 1-2 years to complete. Repairing the viaducts could cost from £125m to £200m and take up to three years, while replacing them entirely is estimated at £200m-£500m and could take up to four years.

M74 and wider network

Removing the viaducts would require part of the M8 to close, with all through-traffic rerouted via the M74 on the south side of the city. A report noted that the M74 is already operating near capacity, and Transport Scotland said the remove option would likely cause significant disruption.

Transport Scotland said the option would have major impacts on congestion, journey times and resilience across the wider road network. In response to the consultation, a spokesperson said: "We are keen to hear the thoughts of the local communities and road users on the permanent solution for the M8 Woodside Viaducts project."

For drivers who use this stretch, the choice now turns on whether the council's preferred option can win backing from Transport Scotland after consultation and community responses are weighed.