IT has become the most expensive five miles of road in Scotland and has taken 60 years to get the plans for it off the drawing board.

But today First Minister Alex Salmond and Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell officially signalled the start of work on the M74's missing link'.

After decades of delay and disagreement, Glasgow is at last getting its ring road.

The cost is huge - the contract is worth £445million, with an additional £12m contingency fund to deal with any old mine-workings.

That's on top of £200m that has already been spent, including £180m paid out as compensation to businesses along the route that have had to relocate.

They include furniture maker Robert Morris, who got around £35m, and City Refrigeration boss Willie Haughey, who received £16.5m.

However, business and political leaders believe the benefits of linking the M8 south of the Kingston Bridge and the existing M74 at the Fullarton junction in the east of Glasgow far outweigh the costs.

For Mr Purcell, today's ceremony marked the beginning of a project that would bring "economic prosperity, regeneration and the opportunity to bring jobs and homes to some of our most deprived communities."

History of a long and winding road 1945: First proposal for inner ring road, with south-eastern connection similar to missing link' though Glasgow Green rather than Govanhill. 1946: The Abercrombie blueprint with detailed plans. 1968 to 1972: M8 ploughs through Glasgow, effectively destroying Charing Cross and other neighbourhoods. Fearing the same on the South Side with the inner ring road, residents protest. By end of the 70s costs have soared and plans are dropped. Only a half-finished off-ramp from the Kingston Bridge remains. 1988-1994: Strathclyde Region tries to resurrect project. Scottish Office agrees to fund stretch taking M74 to Carmyle leaving five-mile missing link. January 2001: First Minister Donald Dewar bows to pressure after Complete to Compete' drive by business and political groups. Transport Minister Wendy Alexander calls for road, priced £270million, to be finished by 2007. April 2003: Executive gives formal backing to the project at a cost now estimated at between £375m and £500m. Work was to begin in 2004 and be finished in 2007. December 2003: Public inquiry begins, after objections from firms along the route. March 2005: Inquiry finds road would have no net' economic benefit and environmental drawbacks but Transport Minister Nicol Stephen gives go-ahead. May 2005: Green groups' legal challenge causes a delay costing at least £20m. October 2006: Interlink M74, joint venture of Balfour Beatty, Morgan Est, Morrison Construction and Sir Robert McAlpine, is sole bidder. November 2007: Formal bid launched. February 2008: £445 bid plus £12m contingency fund for mine workings accepted. May 2008: Work begins. 2011: Official completion date.

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce chief executive Richard Cairns said: "Not only will this road reduce congestion through the city centre, it will greatly reduce journey times from the area to key markets, stimulating the economy and creating jobs."

Mr Cairns said the main benefits were reduced journey times, better traffic flow, less pollution and a boost for the economy.

He said: "Relieving congestion in surrounding areas will make these areas more appealing places to live and work.

"Air quality will be improved by reduced pollution from standing traffic, particularly on the M8. There is also the opportunity to clean currently contaminated post-industrial land.

"Public transport will be able to flow more freely, improving its use."

The first proposal for a Glasgow motorway inner ring road with a south-eastern connection was made in 1945.

But it wasn't the 1970s, when the M8 was built through the city centre, that it looked like becoming a reality.

But progress was halted when planners faced with protests and rising costs ditched the scheme, leaving the infamous "road to nowhere".

Strathclyde Regional Council revived the project in the 80s resulting in a stretch of the M74 stretching to Carmyle.

It took another campaign, led by former council leader Charlie Gordon and the Chamber of Commerce in the late 1990s, before the then First Minister Donald Dewar bowed to pressure.

But it took until February this year - as the Evening Times exclusively revealed - for the Scottish Government to give the green light to finishing the motorway.

Today, Mr Gordon, now Cathcart's MSP, said: "This is a great day this project is needed now more than ever."

Shettleston MSP Frank McAveety added: "This is the final part of a road network that will help unlock the potential of the East End."

First Minister Alex Salmond said: "This will reduce congestion and provide strategic transport links for industry in the West of Scotland. Better access for customers and suppliers will benefit thousands of businesses in the surrounding areas.

"Shorter journey times on local roads will help communities as well as business and will greatly help preparation and hosting of Glasgow's 2014 Games.

"Regeneration will be a direct result of the completion of the M74, helping to tackle pockets of unemployment through development of prime sites along the Clyde Corridor and areas in Glasgow's East End, Rutherglen and Cambuslang.

"The Scottish Government's partnership with Glasgow City Council, South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire Council has enabled the investment in the M74, a vital piece of infrastructure that will open routes and opportunities for Scotland as a whole."