THE £700million project to complete the M74 extension is on course to finish at least six months early.

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson, who visited the site where the new road will join the M8 near the Kingston Bridge, said progress had been "fantastic".

Mr Stevenson also praised the Evening Times' Get Glasgow Moving campaign - aimed at easing congestion in the city centre - which he said he had been following with interest.

The minister claimed completing the five-mile "missing link" of motorway would relieve many of the traffic problems our special reports have highlighted.

He said: "It will certainly make a contribution to reducing congestion because it will provide vehicles with an alternative route.

"The road will also take traffic off the Kingston Bridge and it means congestion in general will be reduced."

Mr Stevenson insisted the new stretch of motorway would also boost the economy of Glasgow and west Scotland.

He said the road - originally due to be completed in July 2011 - had been progressing "faster than the original schedule" and may now be finished by January 2011.

He joined project workers and directors at a ceremony to mark the start of work on massive piers near the Kingston Bridge.

The new road will stretch from there to Carmyle, passing through Rutherglen and Cambuslang.

South Lanarkshire councillor John Murray said: "I think it's unbelievable in terms of reconstruction and the work that's been put into the whole project.

"It's a great feat of engineering and it's well ahead of schedule.

"I know they had a couple of wee problems but I'm sure they have overcome them.

"When it is completed it will be a great benefit to the whole of the west of Scotland.

"I think people will be glad once it's built. They will have to suffer for a little while during the construction phase but when it's up and running it will be fabulous."

The site just south of the Kingston Bridge, behind Shields Road Subway station, is effectively a giant building site.

It's the largest construction site in Scotland's road network and - at £26,400 per foot - is Britain's most expensive road. TIMES FILE ANDREW TIDSER, 23, M74 GROUND WORKER, TOLLCROSS:

"I used to be a chef working in the East End of Glasgow.

"I was fully trained and had got my apprenticeship, but I wanted a change of career.

"I had always fancied going into construction but nothing came along until this M74 project." DAVID KENNAWAY, 20, GROUND WORKER, BARROWFIELD:

"I had been out of work for a year, and my partner and I had two young children to look after.

"I have been working here since September - and hope to stay until the project is complete." CONOR McINNES, 21, GROUND WORKER, FOXBAR, PAISLEY:

"I was looking for work for seven months and contacted an agency called Paisley Partnership.

"It put me forward for a job and I went through three interviews and started work here in January."