A SCOTTISH Transport Minister suggested banning new motorways north of the border in order to appease public anger about an old one, secret files reveal. 

Liberal Democrat Nicol Stephen told a Scottish Cabinet meeting that a moratorium could help him overcome a “presentationally difficult” decision on finishing the M74.

The suggestion was trashed by his fellow ministers, who said it was “unclear” and “illogical”.

They also pointed out that no other motorways were being planned, so a moratorium was “unlikely to secure the Executive any credit from the environmental lobby”.

The argument is exposed in files released by the National Records of Scotland under the 15-year rule for Scottish Government documents. 

The new files cover 2005, the second year of the second term of the Labour-LibDem coalition which ruled at the start of devolution. 

Minutes of the Scottish Cabinet of March 23 show Mr Stephen, now a Lord, announcing his decision on completing the five-mile “missing link” of the M74. 

The proposed road between the M74 in South Lanarkshire and the M8 by the Kingston Bridge in Glasgow was hugely controversial and the subject of a public inquiry.

The inquiry reporter agreed with protestors that the route, across some of Glasgow’s most contaminated land, “would be very likely to have serious undesirable results”.

However Mr Stephen overruled him, arguing completion of the motorway gap would bring economic benefits to the whole of Scotland, and help create up to 20,000 jobs.

Briefing the cabinet two days ahead of a public announcement, Mr Stephen said he had decided to accept the inquiry reporter’s “findings in fact, but had concluded that, when those findings were properly considered in the light of the Executive’s policies, they led to the conclusion that the scheme should proceed”.

He warned that in light of past objections it was “very likely” that his decision could be the subject of a legal challenge, and it was important all ministers stuck to an agreed line and “supported the decision strictly on the basis of the decision letter”.

Ministers would also get a question and answer crib sheet on the issue.

The minutes then reveal Mr Stephen's other idea.

They record: “Mr Stephen said that announcing the decision to proceed with the scheme would be presentationally difficult.

“To counter the expected criticism from the environmental lobby he was considering a moratorium on any new motorway developments in the future.

“This would not prevent further upgrading of the existing road network or prevent the [political] commitment to complete the central Scotland motorway network being met.”

Mr Stephen’s colleagues were unimpressed, calling the value of a moratorium “unclear”, especially in light of the economic argument for completing the M74.

The minutes state: “It might seem illogical to place such a restrictions on the construction of the infrastructure of Scotland when the priority the Executive placed on growing the economy was one of the reasons used to argue against accepting the recommendation of the [inquiry] Reporter. There was a risk that it would be interpreted as a moratorium on all road construction including the upgrading of the existing network."

The cabinet also noted that “as no new motorways were planned within the foreseeable future a moratorium was unlikely to secure the Executive any credit from the environmental lobby”.

Ministers agreed not to comment on the M74 decision directly but merely “welcome the economic and other benefits” flowing from the Executive’s transport policies.

They also concluded: “There should be no moratorium on new motorway construction but the announcement should make clear that no new motorways were planned in the foreseeable future.”