Plans for 30mph speed limit on M8 through Glasgow to be heard by GCC
There are also calls for long-term plans to completely redesign the city-centre stretch of the motorway
Plans which could shape the future of the M8 will go in front of Glasgow City Council today (March 30).
Green Councillor Christy Mearns is proposing a motion to full council, calling for a six-month trial of a 30mph speed limit through the city-centre stretch of the motorway.
Councillor Mearns hopes the local authority will ask the Scottish Transport Minister for the measure, as well as a “review of powers to extend the low emission zone (LEZ) to motorway roads".
'Build a city fit for the future'
She says the move is necessary if Glasgow is serious about reducing emissions: "The M8 motorway is a significant piece of roads infrastructure that entrenches car use, so we're asking for this to be looked at.
"We know that we need to reduce car kilometres, improve people's health and well-being, lower air pollution and design a city fit for the future.
"Other cities around the world have been able to reimagine their urban motorways.
"We know that the faster you drive and the faster you accelerate, the more fuel is burnt.
"If we could look at a trial period of a lower speed limit, we could be addressing air quality issues and we could also reduce significant levels of noise pollution for communities alongside the M8.
"We're not saying this should be imposed or that is should be done tomorrow, but we should be looking at it.
"If there are things out there that could make a difference, it's absolutely incumbent on us that we do so."
SNP Councillor Angus Millar is set to lodge an amendment to the motion, which calls for a long-term vision for the M8 re-engineered or downgraded and replaced with an avenue or boulevard-style road.
'Project to demonise cars'
But motoring journalist, Maggie Barry, says these actions could actually be harmful to Glasgow's traffic flow: "The M8 did a lot to bring cars off the streets and out of residential areas.
"It's providing a very good thoroughfare in getting people from one side of Glasgow to the other.
"Are they going to send drivers through the city centre which will become a LEZ in an attempt to drive down emissions?
"Are we going to send them through the West End? I don't think that's something residents will like.
"The problem with emissions is when you have a stop start situation, when there's a bottleneck or when roadworks are creating a problem.
"That's when emissions build up and you begin to have problems."
"I think it's part of an ongoing project to demonise the car, and the car really isn't that bad anymore.
"Where the manufacturers have got it right is reducing emissions be it through petrol, diesel or moving into electricity."
Delay to LEZ
It comes as councillors are asked to back a motion delaying the introduction of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Glasgow City Centre banning older petrol and diesel cars.
Thomas Kerr from the Scottish Conservatives said the plans will kill the taxi trade: "You can't get a bus, never mind a train anywhere.
"If we push ahead with the LEZ as planned, we'll end up losing 1,000 drivers from our streets, people won't come into the trade and we won't have taxis to take people home safely.
"This delay won't be a silver bullet, it won't save every taxi driver.
"But, this will offer a lifeline to many taxi drivers who are going to fall off a cliff edge come the beginning of June.
"Ultimately this is about trying to save jobs and livelihoods, but it's also about personal safety and trying to protect our most vulnerable citizens.
"The last thing that we have in the city centre that seems to be going well is our hospitality trade.
"If we bring in this LEZ, we are going to have a hammer blow on our hospitality trade."
Councillors are to sit down for the meeting at 11 AM.