COUNCILLORS have given approval for the final stage of the £60 million East End Regeneration Route.

Glasgow City Council’s Executive Committee gave the latest stage the green light during a meeting yesterday.

This £60million project will complete the four-carriageway link – through the East End of Glasgow - between the M74 and the M8/M80.

The third stage will be 1.4km long, with four junctions - at Biggar Street, Carntyne Road, Edinburgh Road and Provan Road.

Phase one of the route was built in 2007 in the Oatlands area another section opened in 2010 and runs from Polmadie Road, adjacent to Junction 1a of the M74, to Shawfield Stadium.

Phase two, known as the Clyde Gateway, continues the route along Rutherglen Bridge, past the Emirates Arena and Celtic Park.

It was completed in April 2012.

It is envisaged that the route of the third phase would cross the Queen Street - at the Airdrie railway line - north of Biggar Street, to connect with the former Riddrie railway line at Duke Street/Todd Street.

It then extends north under Edinburgh Road and Cumbernauld Road, to connect with Provan Road south of the M8/M80.

As part of the project, there will be a major eight-span viaduct at Duke Street - crossing the Queen Street/Airdrie railway line - and two ‘on line’ replacement bridges at Edinburgh Road and Cumbernauld Road.

The council say there will be planting and landscaping adjacent to and underneath the viaduct.

New pedestrian access from Todd Street to Carntyne Road will also be provided at this same location; together with additional footpath links between the Forge Retail Park and local housing.

Glasgow City Council say the project would reduce the volume of traffic on local streets, in order to potentially allow the promotion of both traffic calming measures and sustainable transport initiatives.

Councillor George Redmond, executive member for jobs and investment, said: “The completion of this connection between the motorway routes will continue the ongoing regeneration of the East End, delivering jobs and economic investment to the area.

"The previous phases of this route have already unlocked the potential of what was derelict vacant land to bring new homes and workplaces, and this final phase can do the same for the heart of the East End.

"Finishing the East End Regeneration Route will be a great success for the local area and the city.”

It is hoped that work on the latest phase could start by 2018, subject to funding availability.

The Executive Committee approved the preparation of the final phase of the East End to pre-tender readiness stage, and the release of £250,000 from the current East End Regeneration Route Phase 2 project surplus funds.

The committee also instructed the Executive Director of Development and Regeneration Services to bring a report back to the Executive Committee outlining the outcomes of the work carried out to take the project to the pre tender stage.