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The Inner Ring Road was a proposed motorway around the city centre of Glasgow. Only its north and west flanks were constructed, today part of the M8 motorway between Townhead Interchange and the Kingston Bridge. First mooted in Robert Bruce’s “First Planning Report” of 1945, formal proposals were not outlined until the publication of the “Interim Report on the Glasgow Inner Ring Road” in 1962. This report, produced by Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick and Partners on behalf of Glasgow Corporation, was the first of many recommending radical solutions to solve the city’s growing traffic problem.
This article provides an overview of plans for the Inner Ring Road’s unbuilt south and east flanks, originally proposed for construction between 1975 and 1980. The motorway, sections of which would have been built in Glasgow Green and adjacent to the city’s historic High Street, drew considerable public criticism leading to its cancellation in the early 1980s.
Key Data
Location
Glasgow City Centre
Consulting Engineers
Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick
Holford & Associates
Construction
Proposed
1975 to 1980
Estimated Cost
£20 million
(1965 estimate)
Initial Proposal (1963-1973)
The South and East Flanks of the Inner Ring Road were expected to fulfil two main functions. Firstly, to improve access to the south and east of Glasgow city centre whilst relieving High Street and other existing routes of traffic congestion. Secondly, to distribute traffic from the south and east of the city onto other routes such as the Hamilton, Renfrew and Ayr Motorways. Traffic studies undertaken in 1960 indicated that this would be the busier half of the ring road.
As with other sections of the Inner Ring Road, Glasgow Corporation intended that the South and East Flanks be built within the already approved Comprehensive Development Areas (CDAs). This provided an opportunity for the road’s designers to locate it within areas earmarked for clearance and redevelopment, reducing property acquisition costs and avoiding interactions with existing streets. With plans for extensive CDAs at Townhead, Glasgow Cross, Gallowgate and Hutchesontown it was relatively straightforward to find the space necessary for an urban motorway.
Plans for the Inner Ring Road were approved by the Corporation in 1963. In November of that year it was determined that priority should be given to the completion of the north and west Flanks as they offered the most immediate relief to traffic congestion and better suited the CDA programmes at Anderston, Cowcaddens and Townhead. Completion of the South and East Flanks would follow with construction initially planned by 1975. In 1965 it was estimated that the total cost of the works would be £20 million, equivalent to around £320 million in 2026.
Artist's impression of the south flank of the Inner Ring Road at Laurieston from 'A Highway Plan for Glasgow', published in 1965. This elevated section of motorway was expected to "provide many new and exciting glimpses of the city skyline".
It was proposed that the east flank be positioned parallel to Castle Street and High Street, interchanging with the North Flank, Monkland Motorway and Springburn Expressway at Townhead. Initially the road would be placed in cutting, passing below Cathedral Street and to the west of the Cathedral. South of Duke Street the road was to have passed immediately west of the High Street Goods Stations, east of Glasgow Cross and south through Glasgow Green. This section would have been completely elevated. After crossing the River Clyde near the tidal weir, the route would have become the south flank, crossing Ballater Street, Eglinton Street and the railway emerging from Central Station. Positioned between Wallace Street and Cook Street, it would have interchanged with the west flank at the southern end of the Kingston Bridge. Several intermediate junctions were proposed and can be seen on the plan above. The south flank would have been elevated along its entire length, similar to the Woodside Section of the north flank.
Glasgow Corporation's plans for a new Cathedral Precinct led to proposals for a section of the east flank to be placed in a tunnel. This model dates from around 1970 and shows the motorway passing to the west of the Barony Church.
The proposed alignment of the east flank was not well received by the public or the Corporation's planning department. Both had significant concerns about the impact of the road on historic parts of the city centre and by the late 1960s there were calls for changes to be made.
By the early 1970s voices calling for the conservation of fine buildings within Glasgow, often described as the "finest surviving example of a great Victorian city", had become much louder. A report on the city by renowned architect and planner Lord Esher and campaigns by the Scottish Civic Trust and New Glasgow Society meant the Corporation had no choice but to start listening.
In the summer of 1972 a public participation exercise was held in which the public was informed of the need for the completion of the Inner Ring Road. The Highway Committee stood firm in their belief that the alignment proposed in the Highway Plan offered the most effective solution, however they also began to consider changes that would reduce the environmental impact of the road. By 1970 it was proposed that the road would pass the Cathedral in a cut and cover tunnel. Consideration was also given to a proposal to move the road slightly eastwards to reduce its impact on Glasgow Cross, as shown in the plan below.
The public participation exercise left the Corporation in no doubt however that more significant changes to the proposal were required.
The initial proposal for the East Flank had it passing within metres of Glasgow Cross and through the north of Glasgow Green. Public opposition led to calls for change and by 1968 the route was being refined. The plans above show the original scheme and a revision from around 1970.
Revised Proposals (1973-1979)
The Corporation instructed Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick & Partners and Holford & Associates to examine alternative lines for the East Flank and its interchange with the proposed Hamilton Motorway. Their brief was to re-examine the East Flank alignment due to environmental and public concerns, to develop a feasible and environmentally sensitive alternative to the original Highway Plan proposal and to provide a detailed enough scheme to guide adjacent area planning and identify any affected properties. Their recommendations were published in December 1973.
Building upon the findings of the public exhibition exercises more than ten alternatives were considered, nearly all of which saw the line of the proposed road moved eastwards. The closure of High Street Goods Station in 1968 removed a considerable constraint encountered during the design of the original proposal and allowed for further adjustments north of Glasgow Cross. The decision to make Gallowgate the main route through the east end of the city over Duke Street enabled the consideration of alternative locations for junctions with the new motorway.
The public exhibitions had identified sensitive areas which should be avoided where possible. These included St. Alphonsus Church, where a petition with more than 10,000 signatures was submitted against its demolition, and the Barrowland Ballroom which was recognised as being culturally significant. Other significant buildings such as the Trongate Steeple and Templeton's Carpet Factory were to be avoided at all costs. It was also anticipated that any scheme that continued to utilise sections of Glasgow Green would remain unpopular.
Four schemes were taken forward for consideration in detail:
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Scheme 1: Original Highway Plan Scheme
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Scheme 2: Public Participation Scheme
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Scheme 3: Indirect Scheme (avoids Glasgow Green)
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Scheme 4: Direct Scheme (passes through Glasgow Green but with mitigation)
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Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick studied a variety of routes as part of the reanalysis of the East Flank. In total twelve options were considered. The plan above gives an indication of the areas and buildings likely affected by each.
Scheme 1 was discounted on environmental grounds. Scheme 2, which had been developed following the earlier public participation exercises offered some benefits but was ultimately discounted due to it requiring the demolition of St. Alphonsus Church and the Barrowlands. It also required a high cost structure to carry the motorway below the railway line and would result in severance to existing communities north of Glasgow Green.
Scheme 3 was rejected for many of the same reasons and had the highest anticipated cost of the four. It also impacted upon a significant number of properties around Tobago Street. Scheme 4 was ultimately recommended as it had the greatest benefit to traffic movements, the lowest impact on the environment and a lower cost than the alternatives. Scheme 4 also had a "lesser impact" on Glasgow Green, did not require an interchange in front of the court buildings and had no impact on St Andrew's by the Green Church. Over 300 metres of the road where it passed The People's Palace was to be placed in a cut-and-cover tunnel.
Further refinements were made to the design of Scheme 4 to ensure traffic could flow as efficiently as possible. It was designated Scheme 4N and recommended to the Corporation for approval with an estimated cost of £23.1 million (equivalent to £255 million in 2025). A plan of the scheme can be seen below.
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Scheme 4N was recommended to Glasgow Corporation for approval in late 1973. It sought to reduce the impact of the original proposal on Glasgow Cathedral, Glasgow Cross and Glasgow Green.
Looming local government reorganisation meant that only limited progress was made towards the construction of the South and East Flanks before Glasgow Corporation was abolished in May 1975. The incoming Strathclyde Regional Council became responsible for the city's roads plans from this point and immediately ordered a rethink of all schemes. Despite calls for the South and East Flanks to be dropped, they were retained along with sixteen other schemes.
Conscious that considerable opposition remained, Strathclyde once again turned to Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick for refinements. As in 1973, they prepared a report considering options for further refinement of the scheme. Scheme 4N, tweaked further after 1973 and now named 4U formed the basis of their work.
In July 1975 Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick submitted a report entitled "Revised Highway Plan - South and East Flanks of the Inner Ring Road - Preliminary Report" to the region's new highway committee. This was followed by a final report in September 1976. By this stage it was expected that construction would commence by 1980.
The proposals were of lesser scope than those previously recommended, though it was anticipated that this half of the ring road would remain the busier of the two. The national economic situation coupled with a slowing of traffic growth meant that consideration had to be given to whether the original proposals for an eight lane urban motorway remained justified. Additionally, the report made recommendations on how construction of the project might be phased.
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By 1976 plans for the South and East Flanks had been further refined. The plan above shows the route in its entirety from Townhead Interchange to Kingston Bridge. Its construction would have been delivered in five phases.
The report's key recommendations were as follows:
Townhead Interchange
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Completion of the interchange recommended though with a minimal redesign to reduce traffic weaving and avoid sensitive sites including the Martyrs’ School.
South Flank
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Reduced to three lanes in each direction, though retaining four lanes over the River Clyde.
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Simple elevated structures of consistent width to be constructed to reduce costs.
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A reduction of on and off ramps to increase motorway capacity and reduce traffic weaving.
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The introduction of surface street systems for the local distribution of traffic around the motorway.
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Careful integration with Laurieston-Gorbals redevelopment considered essential.
East Flank
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Mostly unchanged from scheme 4U of 1973. Use of a braided design recommended to eliminate traffic weaving between Townhead and the Hamilton Motorway.
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Remained four lanes in each direction, particularly with the cancellation of the South Link Motorway.
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Decking near Glasgow Cathedral/Strathclyde University essential to mitigate the environmental impact of the road.
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Bus-only and pedestrian routes to be introduced near Gallowgate and on Argyle Street.
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Shift the alignment slightly to the east to avoid Camp Coffee Works and to reduce the impact on St Andrew’s Church.
Staging
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Five incremental stages recommended, each delivering immediate traffic benefits without requiring full completion. See summary table below.
Costs
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Estimated construction cost £60.8 million (equivalent to £415 million in 2026), excluding ~£10 million (£60 million in 2026) property acquisition costs.
Stage | Description | Key Features | Cost (1976) |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | South Flank Surface Street System | Local road alterations around Wallace Street, bridge connections, Argyle St traffic reduction. | £1.97 million |
2 | Townhead Interchange Completion | Completion of junction. | £2.21 million |
3 | East Flank (Stage 1) | Connect Townhead Interchange to Gallowgate; pedestrianisation of Glasgow Cross. | £13.21 million |
4A | South Flank (Single Viaduct) | One carriageway with a temporary connection to East Flank only. | £13.39 million |
4B | South Flank (Full) | Full connection to East Flank and Hamilton Motorway. | Not given |
5 | Scheme Completion | Completion of all proposals. | £30.02 million |
By 1978 progress on the project had stalled once more. Opposition to the scheme persisted, though Strathclyde's roads officials remain committed the delivery of the road in some form. The Region's first structure plan was published in 1977 and had specific objectives with regards to new transport schemes. A greater emphasis was to be placed on access to public transport and new roads should be constructed where they improved access to development areas and improve accident rates.
The plan committed to the completion of a "reduced scale East Flank and South Flank of the Inner Ring Road, connected to the Hamilton Road Route" or "an improved surface street system to dual carriageway capacity, to replace the East Flank and South Flank connected to the Hamilton Road Route". It was expected that construction of either option would commence between 1981 and 1983. Reduced population and vehicle ownership forecasts would be considered as part of the process.
By 1978 the Hamilton Motorway had been cancelled and the Hamilton Road Route had become the preferred new road link between the city centre and the M74 at Maryville. Read our M74 Completion article for more information on this scheme.
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In June 1979 public exhibitions were held detailing the latest changes to the scheme. The images above depict Scheme A. It had a more easterly route, crossing the the High Street Goods Yard.
Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick and Partners was once again commissioned to provide recommendations on the scheme. Holford & Associates were commissioned to consider architectural and environmental matters. A surface street dual carriageway was ruled out immediately on traffic grounds, with up to 100,000 vehicles per day expected to make use of the road by 1990. Further growth of 20% was expected by 2000. The cancellation of the South Link, East Link and Hamilton Motorways meant that much of the strategic traffic looking to traverse the city would now make use of the South and East Flanks of the Inner Ring Road. Additionally, it was anticipated that congestion would occur on the North and West Flanks from 1980 on completion of the Monkland Motorway.
Two schemes, A and B, each to urban motorway standards and with grade separated interchanges were considered. Both followed the line of the 4U proposal from 1973, though Scheme A made use of the High Street Goods Station site reducing its impact on High Street. A cut-and-cover tunnel remained the preference for where the motorway would pass the Cathedral. The removal of braided carriageways, considered essential in the 1973 and 1976 for the efficient flow of traffic, were remove thus reducing the width of the proposed route. The cancellation of the Hamilton Motorway meant there was no longer a requirement for an interchange at Glasgow Green. It was proposed that both flanks be constructed with dual three lane carriageways and no hard shoulders. Junctions at Laurieston, Gallowgate and Ingram Street were recommended.
Both schemes were presented to the public at exhibitions in June 1979. Scale models and a variety of visualisations were produced for these, some of which can be seen above and below.
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The images above depict Scheme B, which would have had a greater effect on High Street and required the demolition of more properties. Its junctions featured simpler layouts.
Once again it was intended that the road would be delivered in stages:
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Stage 1: construction of the section between Townhead Interchange and London Road.
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Stage 2: construction of the section from Glasgow Green across the River Clyde to Hospital Street.
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Stage 3: construction of the South Flank.
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Stage 4: construction of the flyover from London Road to Glasgow Green.
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Stage 5: construction of the Hamilton Road Route interchange.
As the 1970s drew to a close, Strathclyde Regional Council had determined that Scheme A offered the best way forward. Further tweaks would follow but opposition to scheme remained strong.
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In 1980, it was proposed that the bridge carrying the East Flank through Glasgow Green should also serve as a landmark. The design featured a cable-stayed structure with a public viewing platform atop its main tower.
Curtailment and Cancellation (1980s)
As the new decade dawned Strathclyde Regional Council continued to push for the construction of Scheme A. Completion of the scheme was included in the region's Structure Plan, submitted to the Secretary of State for Scotland for approval that spring. Further public exhibitions were held and Holford's commissioned to produce new visualisations and artist's impressions. Opposition to the scheme remained high and various options were considered to make it more palatable. One such proposal was the inclusion of a public viewing platform at the top of the new bridge across Glasgow Green. It was said that it would offer stunning views across the city centre. The design of the bridge was also tweaked in an attempt to make it more visually appealing. A cable-stayed structure was one such option and visualisations of it and the viewing platform can be seen above and at the top of this page.
The Region's plans for the completion of the ring road suffered a major setback in July 1980. The Secretary of State for Scotland, George Younger, deemed that the scheme was not justified at that time and criticised its potential environmental impact. Whilst not vetoing it completely, as he had done with the Crow Road Expressway scheme, he effectively shelved it for at least ten years. The Region was furious and vowed to challenge the decision but any hope for the completion of South and East Flanks as a single project was gone.
The Region's roads officials switched their attention to the completion of Townhead Interchange and the short section of road from Townhead Interchange to London Road. It was argued this would alleviate traffic congestion on High Street and at Glasgow Cross. It would also allow for environmental enhancements around Glasgow Cathedral. Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick and Holford's were commissioned to produce a report on the potential benefits of the scheme now known as the "Townhead to London Road Link". This was published in December 1980. It retained much of the elements from Scheme A, including the cut-and-cover tunnel at Glasgow Cathedral and an interchange on the site of the former goods yard station. Three lanes in each direction was recommended as was a speed limit of 50mph. There was no mention of motorway standards.
In 1981, following the approval of its revised Structure Plan, Strathclyde Region re-evaluated its roads strategy. This led to the development of new projects such as the M77 Ayr Road Route, M74 Northern Extension and M80 Stepps Bypass. Although elements of the South and East Flanks were considered as part of this study they weren't taken forward. Ultimately, the Region placed a greater emphasis on the completion of strategic road improvements and investment in public transport.
Townhead Interchange was finally completed in 1987 and although completion of the Townhead to London Road link road remained an official commitment of the Region until it's abolition in 1996, limited progress was made. Without Scottish Office financial support it remained unaffordable, particularly as the completion of the M77, M74 and M80 were considered greater priorities. Until the late 2000s gap sites retained for the corridor of the road were very visible. Most of these have now been filled by new developments, particularly at Collegelands and Gallowgate.
South of the city centre the cancellation of the South Flank led to some changes to the road layout there. This included the one-way system at Wallace Street and Cook Street. Laurieston Street in the Gorbals was also remodelled, following the line envisaged by Scheme 4N back in 1973.
Visible reminders of the planned South and East Flanks remain to this day at Townhead Interchange and Kingston Bridge. Look out for slip roads that lead to nowhere!
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The Townhead to London Road Link was a scaled back version of the East Flank. Its goal was to ease traffic congestion on High Street and to enable environmental improvements around Glasgow Cathedral.
Retrospective View
It's almost seventy years since plans for Glasgow's Inner Ring Road motorway were revealed, and more than fifty since its first half was completed. But was construction of the other half ever a possibility?
The South Flank was generally uncontroversial and could have been taken forward easily. A reserved corridor for it existed through Laurieston until fairly recently. The East Flank was a very different story however, and it's difficult to imagine a world in which it was built as originally planned. There are several reasons for this.
Glasgow Corporation prioritised the CDAs at Townhead, Cowcaddens and Anderston due to conditions there. This meant the north and west flanks of the ring road were constructed first. By the time focus had switched to the next tranche of CDAs in the early 1970s the public mood had changed considerably.
People, outraged by what they had seen in areas such as Gorbals, began to question whether the wholesale clearance of historic communities was really the best way to improve the lives of Glaswegians. The same can be said of the construction of the motorway itself, with many shocked by the scale of change seen at Anderston and Charing Cross. Such views weren't unique to Glasgow. Across the UK the public's view of urban motorways and expressways had soured considerably by this stage.
By the early 1970s, public participation in such projects was a statutory requirement. Groups such as the New Glasgow Society also formed and began to question the city's plans. The Corporation's roads officials had to listen to alternative views whether they liked them or not, and it was this that led to the route of the East Flank being revised.
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The infamous "ski-ramps" at the south eastern end of the Kingston Bridge, a visible reminder that a South Flank of the Inner Ring Road was once planned.
The Corporation assumed that the demolition of buildings required for the CDAs at High Street and Glasgow Cross would provide the land needed for the new road. If in 1960 they had prioritised these CDAs it's just possible the East Flank might have been built.
It should be noted that Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick wished to consider alternative lines for the East Flank in the early 1960s but were instructed to stick to the original corridor by the Corporation's roads officials. It seems everyone had an awareness of the importance of High Street, Glasgow Cross and the Green to the city except the Corporation's planners! If they had proposed to cover the motorway at High Street and kept it away from Glasgow Cross from the outset it's possible the project might have enjoyed greater public support.
Glasgow Corporation was abolished in May 1975, replaced by Strathclyde Regional Council and Glasgow District Council. The East Flank had lost its primary supporter, and with hindsight, the project was doomed from this point.
There was less enthusiasm for the East Flank among the Region's new councillors although a scaled down version of the project was still included in its first roads plan. It was argued a scheme of some kind was essential to combat looming traffic congestion, but by now there were greater priorities. Completion of the M77, M80 and M74 were considered more important by the Scottish Office and the South and East Flanks had never been included within its committed roads programme.
Complicating matters further was the national economic situation which by the mid-1970s was dire. The generous capital grants of the 1960s had dried up, a victim of the oil crisis, low growth and high inflation. There was no money for expensive local projects and this situation worsened further in 1979 when the new Thatcher government made swingeing cuts to public spending.
In fairness to Strathclyde they at least attempted to make the East Flank more palatable to the public. Firstly by axing the controversial Hamilton Motorway through Glasgow Green and then by making a feature of the proposed bridge across it and the River Clyde. But it was all too late. Secretary of State for Scotland George Younger killed it off on environmental grounds in 1980 and vowed there would be no more urban motorways in Britain.
There is no doubt that the East Flank, and the later Townhead to London Road Link, would have brought some benefits. Traffic congestion along High Street has been a problem for decades and continues to worsen. Today, it is among the city's busiest and most polluted roads. Building the new road in a cut-and-cover tunnel would have solved these problems and greatly enhanced the local environment. Indeed, plans for a pedestrian only plaza between the Cathedral, Provand's Lordship and Strathclyde University would have created an impressive public space. The southern end of Townhead Interchange would also have been much less messy than it is today. Modern day traffic modelling has shown that if the South and East Flanks been constructed in full, the Inner Ring Road would never have suffered from traffic congestion. For many these benefits were far outweighed by the significant impact the urban motorway would have had on its historic surroundings.
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Townhead Interchange was completed in late 1987 and designed to accommodate a future connection to the Townhead to London Road Link Road. This photo illustrates clearly that the layout of slip roads at Castle Street and Stirling Road was intended to be temporary.
From the Archive
Documents
This article was first published in January 2026.
Related Content
Previous
> Highway Over the Clyde: The Kingston Bridge
Other Inner Ring Road Articles
> The Story of Glasgow's Inner Ring Road
> Breaking Ground: Townhead Interchange
> Completing the North Flank: The Woodside Section
Connecting Routes