Roadworks to create motorway misery

Traffic jams expected as work starts near airport

Long tailbacks are expected near Glasgow Airport when motorway lanes shut for more than a month.

Transport Scotland is restricting travel in both directions of the M8 while barrier works are carried out.

Roads bosses will close one lane on the westbound approach to the terminal, with two marked off eastbound.

Laura Gray, deputy planned maintenance manager for Scotland TranServ, which is carrying out the work, says the upgrades are essential.

She explained: “We’ve worked alongside Glasgow Airport, Police Scotland and the local authorities to carefully schedule this project in order to reduce disruption to the travelling public.

“These barriers are at the end of their maintainable life and in need of replacement.

“In the spring, we completed the replacement of over 12 kilometres of barrier, which ran smoothly, finishing three weeks ahead of schedule.”

Work will take place from Sunday to Thursday, between 8pm and 6am.

Maintenance teams insist traffic flow will be monitored and traffic management will “only be installed once levels have been identified as satisfactorily low”.

Upgrades have already taken place over a seven-mile stretch of the motorway in the last 12 months.

Almost £500,000 has been set aside to replace another 600 metres of barrier on the central reservation.

The project is part of a refurbishment scheme, which also includes installing brighter LED lighting and resurfacing.

Andy Fraser, Scotland TranServ’s operating company representative, said disruption will be minimised.

He added: “The M8 is Scotland’s busiest and most important economic artery, with more than 100,000 vehicles travelling on it every day.

“There are large, busy communities and big businesses adjacent to the route. That’s why we’ve programmed this important project to be delivered with maximum efficiency and minimal disruption.

“Across South West Scotland, we’re working on behalf of Transport Scotland to prioritise such road maintenance issues and deliver a programme of improvements as quickly, efficiently and safely as possible.”

Work starts at 8pm on Sunday and runs until the end of August.