§ Mr. David MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland by what date he expects the A8 between Baillieston and Newhouse to be upgraded to motorway standard.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 18 February 1993]: The report, Roads, Traffic and Safety, published by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland in March last year outlined our plans for upgrading this section of the A8. In the light of developments in north Lanarkshire and the recommendations of the Lanarkshire working party for early upgrading, a complete reappraisal of the design was urgently commissioned from Strathclyde regional council and consulting engineers leading to proposals for a new off-line M8 and retention of the existing A8 as a high-quality collector/distributor road. These proposals are now being taken forward in three phases. While the timetable is ambitious, the upgrading has already been identified as one of the schemes on which we expect construction to be able to start in 1994–95 and for which financial provision has been made.