THESE are the first images of the massive new Port Eglinton Viaduct which will soar above the West Coast mainline and Pollokshaws Road.

THESE are the first images of the massive new Port Eglinton Viaduct which will soar above the West Coast mainline and Pollokshaws Road.

The six-lane road on the £60million viaduct, which is nearly half-a-mile long, is a key part of the M74 extension.

It will be 11 metres high and as big an engineering feat as the Kingston Bridge.

The new road will snake for five miles through communities such as Polmadie, Rutherglen and Cambuslang until it joins the M74 at Carmyle.

Already the road has started to take shape with giant high piers erected along the route.

But from today the impact of the £700million project - due to finish in 2011 - will start to be felt among businesses and residents of the South Side.

A series of road diversions and closures will be in place in Eglinton Street - one of the main arteries into the City Centre from the south - for the next 14 months.

During that time a total of 11 piers will be built to carry the Port Eglinton Viaduct - in Devon Street, West Street, Stromness Street, Mauchline Street, Salkeld Street and the Royal mail yard.

The viaduct will stretch from the St Andrews Printworks, soaring over Pollokshaws Road and the main West Coast rail line, before coming back to ground level just before the Kingston Bridge.

For businesses in the path of the new road it promises to be two years of noise, disruption and potential loss of custom.

David Newton, 30, a senior salesman at Keyline Builder's Merchants on Salkeld Street, said the work was already proving disruptive.

He said: "It is going to be really noisy and there is a huge volume of traffic passing by on very narrow streets here.

"There are 20 tonne trucks using this road, I have already phoned the council about it.

"Every day it gets worse, there are so many big trucks around it feels like turning into an off-road course."

Mr Newton, who lives in Kilmarnock Road, said he will face long delays in his journey to work from today.

He added: "It takes me about 10 or 20 minutes to get to work normally. I am going to have to leave an hour to get here - it's going to be chaos."

Businesses in the area - such as Keyline - could well lose out because of the work, he said.

"It will affect business. People come here to uplift goods. If they can't get in they will go to another depot or a competitor."

Kashif Suleman, 30, owner of cash and carry M Suleman & Co in Stromness Street, said he thought the road disruption was only going to last for one day.

He said: "I'd no idea it was for 14 months. It'll be mayhem.

"At the moment our street is closed off as a diversion. Things have really just started so I don't know how long it's going to be closed "It hasn't really affected us yet but who knows what it will be like in the next two or three months.

"We have plenty parking but after today we don't know how the roadworks will affect us.

"The roadworks are not in full flow yet and we can't hear too much because we are inside - but we will know today and we are not looking forward to it."

Arthur O'Neill, manager of the Arnold Clark accident and repair centre in Kilbirnie Street, said there had been no impact on the business yet.

HE added: "We are lucky because we are at the far end of Kilbirnie Street and customers can get access via West Street.

"At the moment there has been no impact - but who's to say what it will be like in the future.

"The viaduct will pass over our heads about 10ft from the edge of the building so it's going to be noisy if nothing else."

Green councillor for the area Danny Alderslowe said there are concerns among residents and businesses about the delays.

He said: "In some cases they will be taking away road lanes and pavements and a lot of residents in Townhead and Tradeston are concerned about access to their homes.

"In Eglinton business are worried - a lot of people walk to their work down there and there is a lot of concern.

"The congestion is going to be incredible especially if there is going to be a backlog as far as the Kingston Bridge."

• What do you think of the new road? Tell us at letters@eveningtimes.co.uk

TIMES FILE

• THE viaduct will allow traffic coming from the south on the M8 and M77 to avoid the Kingston Bridge and the M8 as it passes through the city centre.

• East-bound vehicles can stay on the new motorway until it joins the existing M74 at the Fullarton Interchange at Carmyle.

• Transport Scotland estimates the road will take 20,000 vehicles a day off the M8 between Baillieston and Charing Cross.

• Travelling time through Glasgow is expected to be cut by between five and 10 minutes at peak hours.

• Strategic transport links in the west of Scotland will be boosted with trips from Hamilton to Glasgow Airport forecast to be lopped to 12 minutes and journeys between Glasgow Airport and EuroCentral to just six.

• Measures such as noise barriers and low-noise surfacing will be used to reduce the impact of traffic noise of residents and businesses along the route.