This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Scotland's largest road project opens to traffic
27/04/2005
Scotland's largest ever road project - the £132 million M77 Fenwick to Malletsheugh extension and the Glasgow Southern Orbital (GSO) route was officially opened today by First Minister Jack McConnell.
The new motorway replaces an existingt stretch of the A77 - a notorious accident blackspot - and diverts traffic away from Busby, Eaglesham and the surrounding communitiesm significantly cutting journey times from Glasgow to Ayrshire and beyond.
Mr McConnell said the new routes will save lives and transform communities across south-west Scotland.
He continued:
"These new routes will have a massive impact on the lives of thousands of Scots. Accidents will be prevented and lives will be saved. Traffic will be taken out of some of our most congested communities and Ayrshire and south-west Scotland will be opened up to greater economic prosperity. For all of these reasons, today is a hugely significant day.
"This has been a massive project, the biggest of its type ever undertaken in Scotland. That it was delivered on budget and ahead of time is a ringing endorsement of the work of everyone involved. The investment that we have made here today will pay dividends for generations to come."
The existing M77 Motorway has been extended by 15.2 km (9.4 miles) southwards from Malletsheugh to Fenwick.
At the same time, the new Glasgow Southern Orbital has been built linking Malletsheugh and Phillipshill in East Kilbride. The new GSO is 9.2km (5.7 miles) long.
In the past ten years on the existing stretch of the A77 being replaced 27 people have been killed, with another 105 people seriously injured.
Connect M77/GSO Plc, a wholly owned company of Balfour Beatty plc, reached financial close for the M77/GSO design, build, finance and operate contract in April 2003.
The concession is for a period of 32 years, during which time Connect will maintain and operate the road. Under a 24 month programme Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering Ltd has carried out the design and build contract for Connect.
The project was taken forward as a single Public/ Private Partnership. The Scottish Executive, East Renfrewshire Council and South Lanarkshire Council are the project partners in the jointly sponsored venture.