Summary of Responses on the Numbering of the A74/A74(M)

FOI Response

Summary of responses on the numbering of the A74/A74(M)

1.TS Media Contact – M74 / M6 Re-designation

Date – 13.05.08

QUERY – Dumfries News Group (01461 202 417)

Journalist is looking for TS to confirm whether the M74 will be re-designated the M6 when the motorway is extended to Gretna later this year. Also wants to know what costs there will be re the change – signage etc?

LINES & BACKGROUND GIVEN

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “There are no immediate plans to re-designate the road numbering in Scotland on completion of the Highway Agency’s M6 project. With the opening of the M74 Completion project some years away, it would be appropriate to consider whether re-designation and associated signage and related changes should be aligned with this to avoid confusion in the interim period for drivers who are familiar with existing signage and mapping along the route.”
Background information:
Transport Scotland is aware that the route from Northern England to Glasgow currently has four different designations as you drive north running from the M6, the A74 (now being rebuilt to motorway standard), the A74 (M) and the M74 closer to Glasgow.

2. Sent 8 December 2008

Thank you for your enquiry.

As responsibility for the motorway and trunk road network in Scotland is a matter delegated to Transport Scotland, the national transport agency of the Scottish Government, your enquiry has been passed to me to reply.

The existing motorway route in Scotland will continue to be designated the M74 on the northern section nearer Glasgow. The southern section running southwards to the border, where it joins with the M6, will continue to be designated the A74(M). There are no current plans to change these designations.

3.Sent 23 December 2008

Thank you for your e-mail enquiry (attached below) to Transport Scotland, the transport agency of the Scottish Government, regarding the potential renumbering of the M74 and A74(M) route in Scotland. Your e-mail has been passed to me to reply to.

We are aware that the route from Northern England to Glasgow currently has three different designations as you drive north running from the M6, the A74(M) and the M74 closer to Glasgow.

Transport Scotland has no immediate plans to re-designate the current road numbering in Scotland for the M74 / A74(M) route. With the construction and completion of the M74 Completion project some years away it would be appropriate to consider whether renumbering and associated signage and related changes should be aligned with that project to avoid confusion in this interim period for drivers who are familiar with the existing signage and mapping along the route.

I hope that this reply is helpful.

Steven Dickson

Policy Officer

Trunks Roads Policy Team

Transport Scotland

Buchanan House

58 Port Dundas Road

Glasgow

G4 0HF

4. From: Dickson S (Steven)
Sent: 01 April 2009 16:20
To:
Subject: M74/ A74(M) route

I have been passed your enquiry in relation to the route designation of the M74/A74(M).

There are no plans to change the current designations including the signage on this route and all connecting local roads. The route will continue to be designated the M74 on the northern section nearer Glasgow. The southern section running southwards to the border, where it joins with the M6, will continue to be designated the A74(M).

Steven Dickson

Transport Scotland

5.Sent: Tuesday, 14 April, 2009 12:26:05
Subject: FW: M6 / A74(M) / M74 Motorway Designations

I have been passed your enquiry in relation to the route designation of the M6/A74(M) and M74 sections of motorway.

I hope this helps to explain the position.

Richard Hughes
Transport Scotland
Buchanan house
58 Port Dundas Road
Glasgow
G4 0HF

6.From: Hughes RM (Richard)

Sent:28April 2009 15:30

To:

Subject: FW: M74/A74(M)

Thank you for your email of 19 April 2009 re the new Junction on the M74 Completion Route and the designation of the A74(M) / M74 motorway route from the Border to Glasgow.

I have provided a link to the Transport Scotland website below. This includes a map showing the relevant junctions along the new section of the motorway:

In relation to the route designation of the M6/A74(M) and M74 sections of motorway you may wish to note thatthere are no plans to change the current designations including the signage on this route and all connecting local roads. The route will continue to be designated the M74 on the northern section nearer Glasgow. The southern section running southwards to the border, where it joins with the M6, will continue to be designated the A74(M).

I hope this is helpful in explaining the position.

7.Sent 1 April 2010

Thank you for your e-mail of 30 March regarding the M74 Completion.

There are no plans to change the numbering to M6 on completion of the scheme. The route will continue to be designated the M74 on the northern section nearer Glasgow. The southern section running from Millbank southwards to the border, where it joins with the M6, will continue to be designated the A74(M).

I hope this is helpful.

Allan Roberts

Head of Administration Team

Construction Branch

Major Transport Infrastructure Projects

8. Trunk Roads: Network Management,
Concessionary Travel and Integrated Ticketing
Buchanan House, 58 Port Dundas Road, GlasgowG4 0HF
Direct Line: 0141 272 27326, Fax: 0141 272
/ bc
Our ref:
2010/1000441
Date:
3 September 2010

A74(M)

Thank you for your letter of 4 August concerning the A74(M) and M74. As the Programme and Engineering Manager responsible for the A74(M) and M74 I have been asked to reply.

Historically, the different route numbers reflect the way in which sections of the M74/A74(M) route were upgraded over a number of years. The original improvements, when the old A74 was upgraded to motorway standard from Glasgow to Douglas, were designated as the M74. South of this, the road to the border was constructed in discrete sections along the route with traffic passing from motorway to all purpose road several times. It was therefore decided that as the discrete lengths were opened they should be designated as A74(M). A similar naming convention can be seen on the A1 and A1(M) in England where that route also switches between sections of dual carriageway and motorway.

To change the designation of the A74 (M) there would be substantial work associated with altering signage on both the trunk road and local road networks. In the current economic climate this may not constitute the most sensible use of public funds when assessed against other competing road safety improvement measures and essential road maintenance works. The present designations also serve to distinguish the Scottish section of motorway route from the Border to Glasgow from the English sections of the M6.

There are no plans to change the present designations including the signage on the motorway and all connecting local roads. The existing motorway route will continue to be designated the M74 on the northern section nearer Glasgow. The southern section running southwards to the Border, where it joins with the M6, will continue to be designated the A74(M)

I hope this is helpful.

Yours sincerely

MARTIN MCLAUGHLIN

Programme and Engineering Manager