THE EAST End with its myriad social problems was the one area of Glasgow where a reliable transport network was most needed.

But as the industries which kept alive the area's economy disappeared one by one, so too did many of the services which linked the East End with the outside world.

Even Glasgow's Subway system served only the more affluent areas of the West End, parts of the city centre and south of the Clyde.

As a result the East End was left largely neglected - and lack of a joined-up transport system only increased the isolation of deprived pockets like Barlanark and Carntyne. M74 link go-ahead to boost regeneration plan

THE much-heralded East End Regeneration Route will be a four-lane road linking the M8 with the M74 extension - and all communities in between.

Costing more than £70million, it will stretch for four miles and 11 new road junctions will connect with the existing network.

Phase one, due to be completed later this year, will see the realignment of Rutherglen Bridge at Oatlands, which crosses the Clyde close to Shawfield Stadium.

The second phase - from Rutherglen Bridge via Dunn Street, Poplin Street, Dalmarnock Road, Mordaunt Street, London Road and Camlachie to the Parkhead bypass at Gallowgate junction - is due to be ready by June 2010.

Phase three will run from the Forge Retail Park across the Queen Street to Airdrie railway bridge near Biggar Street, north under Edinburgh Road and Cumbernauld Road to connect with Provan Road, south of the M8.

A major eight-span viaduct will be built at Duke Street/Carntyne Road and there will be two replacement bridges at Edinburgh Road and Cumbernauld Road.

The M74 extension, which has been delayed for years, was given the go-ahead last month by the Scottish Government.

It will be a three-lane motorway with hard shoulders along a five-mile stretch from the Fullarton interchange to the M8 west of the Kingston Bridge.

In recent years the area's residents have looked on with envy as regeneration efforts have been concentrated in other parts of the city.

Now it is the turn of the East End - and the planned massive investment includes transport schemes which will open up the area like never before.

Completion of the M74, building of the East End Regeneration Route and expansion of the city's Subway and rail services are all in the pipeline.

There is even a possibility that the Fastlink tram service planned for the West End will extend to the east.

According to Ian Manson, one of the planners behind the Clyde Gateway project, East End regeneration is now the biggest challenge of its kind in the UK, particularly now the city has won the race to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Mr Manson, Glasgow City Council's lead officer on the project, added: "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the East End, something the area has been waiting 100 years for.

"The M74 and the East End Regeneration Route are vital because they will open up sites and allow for economic development and the creation of jobs.

"They will change the distribution of traffic and make some main roads much quieter, allowing us to turn them into more attractive boulevards."

Mr Manson cited the planned redevelopment of the area round Dalmarnock Station as another critical project. He said: "This area is key to the success of the Commonwealth Games.

"It is in the middle of an area that just now is completely derelict. The vision is that passengers will come out on to a new commercial area close to the Games Village and the National Arena.

"That station will become a real hub that will trigger the regeneration of the area round about it. It is a key investment we have to make.

"We also want to explore the possibility of extending the Fastlink tram services into the East End."

But not all the planned new transport links need new foundations - the area has disused railway tunnels and long-abandoned stations which it is hoped can be resurrected.

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is funding a study looking at the creation of an east-west regeneration subway link.

It would support the Clyde Gateway project by providing good transport links from the East End to the city centre.

A spokeswoman said: "The proposals involve using disused railway tunnels starting at Bridgeton Station and continuing eastwards under London Road before surfacing at the eastern end of Celtic Football Club's stadium.

"The site of a potential new station is easy walking distance from Celtic Park and the new National Games arena.

"The potential route under London Road takes advantage of Glasgow's legacy of rail infrastructure.

"Many of the old tunnels and viaducts remain intact and have been unused since the Beeching cuts of the 1960s.

"The use of existing, disused infrastructure as far as possible will ensure project costs are kept down. Estimated costs based on an initial study come in at between £60million and £210m."

It has been estimated an extra 1.6m passengers would use the Subway each year if it was extended into the East End.

And Commonwealth games organisers have said they want the Games to be "car-free" - so public transport schemes are seen as critical.

East End councillor George Redmond said the M74 completion was long overdue.

He claimed abandonment of the motorway plans was a major contributor to industrial decline in the East End.

Mr Redmond said: "The Laird factory in Dalmarnock made packaging and employed 1500 to 2000 people. It was one of the firms which moved out because it was told the M74 route went through the factory. In the end, it didn't.

"Those jobs, and the workforce, went to East Kilbride and that firm is still in business as Fields Packaging, which is still employing hundreds today."

Councillor George Ryan, Executive Member for development and regeneration at Glasgow City Council, said: "The East End's transport links suffered more than other parts of the city because the area's decline was exacerbated by the collapse of the manufacturing industry.

"As businesses and homes vanished, so did transport services.

"The plans for the development of the East End's transport infrastructure, including the M74 completion and the East End Regeneration Route, will bring thousands of jobs and homes to this part of Glasgow."