Opposition to village link road plan is still growing

Graham Simpson MSP gives his backing to Holytown Says No

The road will run from Eurocentral to Holytown Road, just before it becomes Main Street, at the junction with Sherry Avenue.

Officials believe it will mean fewer vehicles using Main Street as the access to Eurocentral at present is off the Chapelhall road, but this has been dismissed by the Holytown Says No campaign.

Mr Simpson attended the third public meeting organised by the campaign in Holytown Community Centre along with Uddingston and Bellshill MSP Richard Lyle.

Holytown Says No chairman Pat Clarke said: “Mr Lyle has been very proactive since he pledged to support the campaign.

“He intends to arrange a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary and Citydeal, but in the meantime urged everyone at the meeting to spread the word about the campaign.

“Mr Simpson has only recently become aware of the campaign, but like Mr Lyle is supportive and wants to work cross-party to prevent the road’s construction.”

Mr Simpson drew up a list of issues he has with the planned road.

He said: “I have a number of issues with the proposal and the first is the way officials are going about it.

“There is no outline business case for the road and investigatory works on the land have not been done, so we have no idea if building a road here is even feasible.

“Data from traffic modelling has not been collated, which may show there is no benefit to anyone from having this road.

“Many in the local community are understandably concerned that such a road would lead to more traffic on already busy roads.

“There is a danger of that, but North Lanarkshire Council has not been able to show the effect one way or the other.

Meghan Gallacher, who stood in Motherwell and Wishaw at the General and Scottish Elections, has also joined the campaign.

She said: “As a local person I believe this will cause mayhem and I have fears regarding residents’ safety.”

Airdrie and Shotts MP Neil Gray has previously written to the council’s head of planning outlining the concerns he has with the proposal.

Earlier this month campaigners handed in nearly 1,400 individual letters to the council questioning why a new roundabout and road to Eurocentral are needed.

Mr Clarke said: “The consultation period does not end until August 16, we can still make a difference.

“We urge anyone who has not contacted Citydeal with objections to do so.”