A74 road
A74 | ||
---|---|---|
A721 at Broomhouse , Glasgow | ||
Location | ||
Country | United Kingdom | |
Constituent country | Scotland | |
Municipalities | Glasgow | |
Road network | ||
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The A74 also known historically as the Glasgow to Carlisle Road, is a formerly major road in the United Kingdom, linking
The road received a substantial upgrade in the early 19th century under the direction of
The road was infamous for its allegedly high accident rate, being dubbed a "killer road", which exacerbated the need to provide an alternative motorway route. Several high-profile accidents occurred, most notoriously the debris of Pan Am Flight 103 in December 1988, which partially fell on the road near Lockerbie and caused several fatalities.
Route
Original route
The original route as classified by the
After passing through Gretna and Gretna Green, it followed the general line of the Caledonian railway toward Lockerbie and crossed the River Annan over a 24.4-metre (26.7 yd) bridge at Johnstonebridge. It followed the Annan valley into a rural area away from any settlements as it crossed the Beattock Summit between the Annan and Clyde valleys towards Elvanfoot. This section is on a different alignment from the Roman Road, which, as might be expected, took a straighter route across more mountainous terrain, particularly at the Roman signal station near Black Fell.[4][5]
At Elvanfoot it crossed the River Clyde on a 27.4-metre (30.0 yd) span single-arch bridge, and continued to follow the Clyde Valley past the Roman Fort at Crawford towards Abington, where the Roman road to Edinburgh (now the A702) branched to the right. It left this sparsely populated section in the Southern Uplands and entered the Clydesdale communities of Lesmahagow, Kirkmuirhill and Larkhall, crossing the River Avon into Hamilton.[5]
Beyond Hamilton, it followed the Glasgow Road north-west, crossing the Clyde at the
Current route
The original road has been largely downgraded and renumbered and now only one short stub remains outside the Glasgow area; within the city boundaries it contains various remnants of a project from the 1930s that rerouted the road to run from Hamilton to Glasgow via Uddingston and the King's Bridge.[6]
According to contemporary
History
19th century
The A74 evolved from the Glasgow – Carlisle mail route. Originally, this followed the course of
Telford was particularly concerned about being able to reduce gradients and improve drainage on roads,
Notable engineering feats included taking the road over the Beattock Summit, construction of the original Metal Bridge just south of the Scottish Border in 1820,[4] and carrying the road over Cartland Craigs by a 130-foot viaduct. According to author Frederick Mort, the Glasgow to Carlisle road "became a model for future engineers."[14]
20th century
In 1916, Telford's original metal bridge was replaced by a modern concrete structure at a cost of £16,000. A small section of the original bridge was housed in Tullie House Museum in Carlisle.[11]
Roads started to be classified with route numbers in 1921,[15] with the Glasgow – Carlisle road receiving the number A74, mostly following the route as designed by Telford. On 16 May 1936, the road was diverted away from Telford's route to run from Glasgow to Motherwell via Uddingston — it is a portion of this realignment that forms the modern A74 route within Glasgow.[6] It became a trunk road when the act was first published in 1936.[16] A contemporary report also suggested renumbering the entire A74, along with the A82 as an extension of the A6 to Inverness, matching the London — Carlisle — Glasgow — Inverness trunk road as used in internal Ministry of Transport documentation, but this was rejected as the cost of replacing signs would be prohibitively expensive.[6]
Due to its continued status as one of the most important connections between England and Scotland, talks began in the 1950s to improve its quality to cater for modern motor traffic. While a 4+1⁄2-mile (7.2 km) section of dual carriageway had already been completed before World War II, Tom Steele, then MP for Lanark, was particularly keen on the entire route from Carlisle to Uddingston being dualled before the mid-1960s. On 2 August 1956, he received a memo from the Secretary of State for Transport about the matter, which stated "the plan is to complete the conversion in about 10 years. When this work is completed there will be a dual carriageway leading from the Border to Uddingston with no built-up areas along its length."[17]
By the early 1960s, these plans had changed to consider building a motorway in preference for the more straightforward online upgrades.
By 2008, the A74(M) motorway extended southwards to the northern terminus of the M6, at the Scottish border, and was extended northwards in the mid-1990s as far as the Glasgow suburbs of Carmyle and Tollcross.[22][23] In 2011 it was further extended to meet the M8.[24] The parallel road which was the A74 has been mostly downgraded in two sections as the B7076 and B7078.
Cumberland Gap
The Cumberland Gap (named after the historic county of Cumberland, now part of Cumbria, as a pun on the American folk song) was the 5.8 miles (9.3 km)[25] of A74 between the northern terminus of the M6 at Carlisle, and the south end of the A74(M) at the Scottish border. It existed as an isolated stub from 1992, when the A74 was improved to motorway standard around Gretna,[26] to 2008, when the M6 was extended northwards. Scottish ministers had previously expressed disappointment at slow progress over the border; in 1964, Dumfries MP Hector Monro stated "there is widespread feeling in the south of Scotland that the advance south over the Border of this important new road is being delayed because England is dragging her feet."[27]
When the M6 was complete around Carlisle in 1971,[28] a new 4.5-mile (7.2 km) section of dual carriageway A74 was created to tie in with the original road running from Kingstown. The 1916 Metal Bridge also had to be replaced, in order to accommodate the increased traffic levels.[29]
An offer from the Scottish Executive to build the road to meet the M6 was not accepted by the English
After years of political battles between the English
Safety and accidents
The A74 drew regular criticism over its perceived lack of safety.[38] Some motorists had criticised the A74 as being a "killer road" due to its perceived high number of accidents.[39] MPs, however, were keen to stress that the rate of accidents was no different from any other road of comparable traffic size. In 1976, Frank McElhone, then the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, stated that "the A74 has gained a bad reputation. Whether this is justified in comparison with other roads is to some extent a matter of opinion."[40]
By the 1970s, following completion of the M6 to north of Carlisle, the remaining all-purpose section of the A74 was becoming increasingly outdated and unsafe, and so a special speed limit of 60 mph (97 km/h) (40 mph (64 km/h) for HGVs) was imposed.[40] Hector Monro MP was particularly concerned about the speed of heavy goods vehicles along the road, and wanted to erect signs reminding lorry drivers of what the correct limit for that class of vehicle was. He claimed that they did not realise they were driving on an all-purpose route and ignored the different speed limits.[41]
On 16 June 1975, an articulated lorry travelling southbound in heavy rain crossed the central reserve of the A74 near Beattock, hitting a coach that was travelling northbound. Ten passengers travelling in the coach were killed, including the driver, and twenty were seriously injured.
On 22 December 2004, a major road accident occurred on the Cumberland Gap section of the A74 near Metal Bridge, after high winds tipped a lorry travelling southbound onto the opposite carriageway, causing it to collide with two other goods vehicles. Because one of the lorries carried chemicals, the entire road had to be shut for 24 hours, causing widespread congestion across the area.
In August 2008, when the A74 was still an all-purpose road across the Cumberland Gap, the Highways Agency took out a special order to ban cyclists and pedestrians from the route, advising them to use the A7 to Longtown instead. Despite warning signs for cyclists being erected, traffic officer Glenn Lamont still found that "some cyclists are ignoring this and with the roadworks and contra flow in place there is a really high risk of an accident".[45]
Pan Am Flight 103
In December 1988, the A74 around Lockerbie received international media attention, when Pan Am Flight 103 was destroyed by an explosive device above the town, scattering debris around the local area. The wing section of the aircraft landed in Sherwood Crescent, which runs parallel to what was then the A74 Lockerbie Bypass, destroying houses and striking several vehicles.[46] According to eyewitness reports, the resulting fires caused cars to be set alight on the road, and took "a huge bite out of the southbound lane".[47]
In 1994, the Prime Minister, John Major, said the government would take civil action against Pan Am for the damage caused to the A74. He stressed the action was concerned with negligence by the company over its aircraft and had no connection with the ongoing investigation of terrorism.[48]
See also
A74(M) and M74 motorways, which have largely replaced the A74
References
- ^ M74 | Glasgow to Gretna, Glasgow Motorway Archive, March 2021
- ^ Ministry of Transport (Roads Department) (1923). List of class I and class II roads and numbers. HMSO. p. 59.
- ^ a b Half inch Ministry of Transport Road Map (Map). Half Inch / Mile. Ministry of Transport Road Map. Ordnance Survey. 1923. Sheets 27,31. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
- ^ a b c d e "Glasgow to Carlisle road". Institute of Chartered Engineers. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
- ^ a b c Seventh Series Sheet 68 (Biggar, Moffat and Sanquar) (Map). One Inch / Mile. Seventh Series. Ordnance Survey. 1962. Sheet 68 (Biggar, Moffat and Sanquhar). Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- ^ a b c "Renumbering of Classified Routes". The National Archives. 1933–1942. MT 39/246.
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(help) - ^ SABRE - Maps (Map). 1:10 000. OS Street View. Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
- ^ a b c Telford, Thomas (1838). Rickman, John (ed.). Life of Thomas Telford ... written by himself. British Library. p. 473.
- ^ "Report of Manchester Hospitals". Manchester Mercury page 4. J Harrod. British Library Board & British Newspaper Archive. 1 November 1808.
- ^ Forrest, William (1816). The County of Lanark from Actual Survey (Map). National Library of Scotland: Iprnt Edinburgh s.n. 1816. p. EMS.b.2.29. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ a b c d Miller, Norman; Miller, Margaret. "The Carlisle to Glasgow Road : An Early 19th century attempt to improve and maintain Scotland's Most Important Road" (PDF). Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society: 100–102. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
{{cite journal}}
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(help) - ^ ISBN 9780521033916.
- ^ Cleland, James (1832). Enumeration of the inhabitants of the city of Glasgow and county of Lanark, for the government census of 1831: with population and statistical tables relative to England and Scotland. Smith. p. 279.
- ISBN 9781107616707.
- ^ "Memorandum on Route Numbering". The National Archives. 28 June 1922. MT 39/241. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ "Trunk Roads Bill". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 14 December 1936. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ Steele, Tom (28 July 1960). "Road Traffic". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ Noble, Michael (29 January 1964). "Central Scotland". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ Lanark and Upper Nithsdale (Map). 1:50 000. Landranger. Ordnance Survey. 1985. Sheet 71.
- ^ Ross, William (5 May 1965). "Motorways". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ Rifkind, Malcolm (18 May 1989). "Trunk Road Programme". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ "M74 extension: Will the gap ever be filled?". The Herald. 10 December 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
- ^ Marshall, David (31 October 1994). "Transport and the Environment". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 4 July 2013.
We desperately need to complete the M74 from where it comes to an end at Tollcross in my constituency.
- ^ "M74 will benefit Scottish Economy". Transport Scotland. 28 June 2011. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
- ^ a b "50 years of UK motorways marked". BBC News. 5 December 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ Lang, Ian (24 April 1991). "Trunk Roads". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ Munro, Hector (16 December 1964). "A.74 (Dual-Carriageways)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ Heseltine, Michael (17 March 1971). "M6". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ "M6. Carlisle By-pass & Penrith to Carlisle (J41 to J44)]". Institute of Highway Engineers. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ a b "M74 / A74(M) Glasgow to Carlisle". Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation. Archived from the original on 29 May 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ Hunston, Hugh (31 March 1994). "Treasury pulls plug on final A74 upgrade". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ Macdonald, Calum (9 March 1999). "M74". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ Jamieson, David (1 July 2002). "Roads (North-West)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ "G8 conference delays m-way works". BBC News. 14 July 2005. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- Highways Agency. Archived from the original(PDF) on 10 August 2012.
- ^ "M6 extension: Carlisle to Guards Mill, Cumbria". Better Publishing. 7 January 2011. Archived from the original on 7 January 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ "PM's Award winners and finalists". Better Publishing. Archived from the original on 7 January 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ISBN 9781780572680.
- ^ Andrew, Ken (1984). The Southern Upland Way: Official Guide [and] Official Route Map. Vol. 1. HMSO. p. 133.
- ^ a b McElhone, Frank (9 June 1976). "A74 Trunk Road". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 5 July 2013.
- ^ Munro, Hector (7 March 1984). "Road Traffic (Speed Limits)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ Great Britain Department of the Environment (1993). Road Accidents in Great Britain. HMSO. p. 38.
- ^ Ross, William (17 June 1975). "Coach Accident (Scotland)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 5 July 2013.
- ^ "'Lessons to learn' after crash". BBC News. 24 December 2004. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ "Safety plea to marathon cyclists". BBC News. 8 August 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
- ^ Channon, Paul (22 December 1988). "Air Crash, Lockerbie". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 5 July 2013.
- ^ "BBC : On this day : 21 December 1988". BBC News. 21 December 1988. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ Major, John (12 April 1994). "Lockerbie Air Crash". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 5 July 2013.
External links
- SABRE – A74 – includes strip maps and further information about specific projects along the road.