Bid to lower speeds on M8 motorway in Glasgow city

Glasgow City Council have been in discussion with the agency to look at a mandatory speed limit, which could be as low as 30mph, as well as barriers to help reduce air pollution among other measures.

The council’s convenor for transport, councillor Angus Millar, has written to the Scottish Government asking for a series of short, medium and long term measures to be explored regarding the future of the M8, which also includes better air quality monitoring for the M8 in the city.

Transport Scotland, which owns and operates the motorway, has agreed to come back on the requests in due course.

Medium term objectives include looking at options for downgrading the motorway going through Glasgow to a boulevard style road and support for a garden cap at Charing Cross.

Long term goals would see the motorway ditched and replaced with a slower road instead.

Describing the impact on the city, a council report said: “Part of the M8 motorway runs through the centre of Glasgow, separating the city centre from the north and west of the city. This barrier creates a negative impact on the city centre as a place, in terms of community severance, pollution, noise and blight of adjacent land.

“The M8 reduces the number of available crossing points for active travel and these are often very car-centric.”

Council officers met with Transport Scotland officials on August 23 to discuss the matter.

Describing the meeting, a council report said: “This was a positive discussion, with alignment of aspirations to reduce car vehicle kilometres. Within this there was recognition of the desire to re-mode, reduce, re-route or re-time traffic that use the M8 over the long-term. It was also agreed that research and evidence gathering was required however, to fully understand the problem and the nature of journeys being made currently on the M8, including by businesses.”

An action plan is to be prepared for aspirations relating to the busy motorway relating to the city.

The report added: “Following discussion with Glasgow City Council officers, it is proposed that an action plan for short, medium and long term aspirations should be prepared to cover all the council’s projects that interact with the M8 between junctions 15 and 22, clearly identifying the role of Transport Scotland in these interventions to help facilitate collaboration and progress.”

Councillors are due to get an update on the council hopes for the M8 at the economy, housing, transport and regeneration city policy committee next week.