Controversial EK road-widening project nears completion after lengthy delays

Major works for a multi-million pound East Kilbride road widening project have been completed - more than a year behind schedule.

The £23m A726 Greenhills Road/Strathaven Road widening scheme is part of the City Deal aimed at boosting economic activity in the area.

South Lanarkshire Council now say the 'major infrastructure' phase of the project is complete.

The overhaul of the road caused a headache for drivers - both on the main road itself and nearby rural roads.

At the end of last year a section of the road was closed completely after work, which began in early 2019, fell drastically behind.

Although not an official diversion, residents in nearby Auldhouse said they were faced with "traffic chaos" during the closure, with plans "ill-thought out".

And the widening of the road has been deemed "unnecessary" by some local councillors and environmental groups.

There was major disruption during the works which fell more than a year behind schedule (EAST KILBRIDE NEWS)

However, all temporary traffic management has been removed from the A726 and the dual carriageway is opened to two lanes of traffic in each direction for the first time.

Traffic signals and pedestrian crossings are now also in operation.

Landscaping work and the reprofiling of adjacent land back to its original level is ongoing and will be completed over the coming weeks – some localised sections of temporary traffic management will be in place while this work is carried out.

Chairman of community and enterprise resources, Councillor Robert Brown, said: “Local residents will be pleased that the main roadworks phase of this project has now been completed.

“It will bring with it improved and joined up regional connections and we hope it will attract business growth and private investment.

“The project has taken longer to conclude than originally planned, due to issues out with our control including the pandemic, however, we now look forward to the benefits the project will bring to the wider area.”

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