A BID to delay Glasgow's M74 extension was today condemned by city council leader Steven Purcell.

A BID to delay Glasgow's M74 extension was today condemned by city council leader Steven Purcell.

The Green Party is backing a legal challenge to the motorway extension brought by a mystery city resident.

Glasgow MSP Patrick Harvie said he supported the complaint to the European Commission.

The complaint attacks the bidding process to build the missing link, saying it contravenes a directive to ensure competition and drive down prices for public work.

Mr Harvie said: "There were originally two bids which were in competition and they merged to become one bid.

"That means there's a lack of competition, making it impossible to ensure best value for money."

Mr Harvie claimed the £500million project would cause social and environmental harm.

But city council leader Mr Purcell said the link was vital to the regeneration of the East End.

He said: "It would be economic madness not to go ahead with the completion of the M74, which is already 36 years' overdue.

"Our legal advice is that the tendering process is both fair and legal."

The Scottish Government was criticised when it failed to set a date for completion of the extension, with Alex Salmond promising only that it would be ready when Glasgow hosted the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

If the European Competition Commissioner upholds the complaint, the Government could be forced to restart the tendering process, leading to further delays.

A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said: "The M74 project has been properly audited and we believe the tendering process complies fully with procurement law."