Its been a while since I wrote anything here and a lot has happened since then. Works have quickend apace and the local populace has been inconvenienced accordingly with trafgfic lights operating at various locations most notably Condorrat and Mollins.

The incompetence begins ?

Driving from Westfield to the A80 I was forced to turn back all the way due to the road between thr roundabout between Mollins Road and Gartferry Road being closed (red part on map). Nothing wrong with an essential road closure for essential works to be carried out - but rather annoying that no work related activity was going on at all, the road was deserted and no contractors were to be seen.

Compounding the road block was that there were no signs advising the closure at any point on Westfield Road (and presumably the road from Hunt Hill too) and so traffic from Craiglinn would have made a utterly pointless journey too.
Lets hope this is not an indication of whats to come for the people resident on the western side of Cumbernauld. Hope being the operative word.

Correspondance

Abridged from today's Cumbernauld News (not the online version)

A letter from Alan O'Brien, SNP councillor Cumbernauld North reminding local Labour councillors who, he alleged were trying to pin the blame of the motorway on the SNP government - that it was they who voted for the online upgrade of the road through the town "and inflicted this nightmare onto us."

Another letter from Sam Mitchell decried the removal of so many trees which have greatly reduced the effectiveness of the sound barrier.

Storm at A80 Meeting

From the Cumnernauld News website today.

LINK

St. Maurice Park

Contractors have started to fence off a substantial part of this park nearest to the slip road from Condorrat. It looks as if a compound will be established.

The Sunday Mail reports that the sons of the gangster Lewis Rodden have secured the contract to provide security on the A80 online upgrade.

LINK

In my view it is quite typical of the government - and local councils when they also allow such companies to 'win' security contracts, there is much wringing of hands and shaking of heads - with the obligatory smarmy statements excusing them of the fact. However in the real world it might be no bad thing to just accept and admit that these people are in fact probably the best people to employ guarding construction site - as long as they are stronger than their gangland rivals and can guarantee the site won't be the victim of a mysterious fire.

No matter who is contracted to guard the A80/M80 siteworks - along the eleven miles - a determined photographic commando will get the through to take the pictures.

Watch this space.

Link to government info.

M80 Stepps to Haggs