Letters: Why can’t we have a proper motorway between Scotland’s two major cities?

Now, I could see that some further improvements have indeed been made in recent years, and the road was still very familiar to me. However, my wife had to drive us and in the dark she was terrified on the M8.

The poor and intermittent road lighting meant that for long stretches she was losing sight of the road markings – and especially in the absence of other vehicles. Approaching Glasgow even I – as a passenger – couldn’t read the overhead gantries for directions as they were unlit. And this was on a clear, dry night. Upshot was that my stressed wife insisted she’ll never drive that route again in the dark.

What this reinforced to me was not just how impoverished our road system is in Scotland in the 21st century, but rather how symbolic the M8 remains as a shackle on Scotland’s future prosperity.

Brexit^[1], the EU, Westminster and Independence^[2] aside: if we can’t have a proper motorway worthy of a developed country between its two main cities, then who are we kidding?

Steven Cannon,

25 Inchmurrin Drive, High Burnside, Rutherglen, Glasgow.

References

1. ^{^} Brexit (www.heraldscotland.com)
2. ^{^} Independence (www.heraldscotland.com)