Driven mad
Motorists face heavy delays for rest of the year Four months of roadworks on M8, M73 & M74
DRIVERS face months of misery on three of Scotland’s busiest motorways as £500million of roadworks start next week.
Transport Scotland has warned drivers to expect ‘significant delays’ with four months of works on the M8, three months on the M74 and six weeks on the M73.
It claimed the works, including upgrading seven miles of the A8 to a motorway, will eventually reduce congestion and shave 20 minutes off journeys between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
However, motorists will have to endure months of disruption first. It is a further blow to commuters and businesses, who have already faced delays because of strike action on ScotRail trains and separate roadworks on the M8.
Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said: ‘Simultaneous disruption to three of Scotland’s busiest motorways will result in delays and frustration that will have a cost impact on many businesses. We would urge Transport Scotland to provide clear, timely and detailed information to road users to enable them to plan around this work and minimise the negative effects.
‘We hope that when this work is completed the promised time savings are delivered and that long-term savings to businesses result.’
The works will see motorways reduced to two lanes in each direction and various slip roads closed.
New gantries will be installed on the M74 – in both directions between Junction 2A, Fullarton and Junction 6, Hamilton – from Monday.
Work will start on the M8 – on both carriageways between Junction 10, Easterhouse to Junction 8, Baillieston – in the middle of this month. Next month, the project will move to the M73, with journeys between Junction 1, Maryville and Junction 2, Baillieston in both directions affected.
An estimated 100,000 vehicles a day will be see their journeys hit by the roadworks.
Transport Scotland insisted it will deliver long-term benefits to the economy, with an estimated 8,000 jobs created by 2030, through cutting transport time for goods and services. However, motorists will be understandably wary given the SNP’s recent track record.
Commuters endured weeks of disruption at the end of last year with the closure of the Forth Road Bridge due to structural problems.
It was an economic catastrophe and a nightmare for people travelling to work from north of the Forth, trying to get in and out of Edinburgh each day, and came only four years after a crippling budget cut by the SNP.
Meanwhile, the Queensferry Crossing over the Forth is five months behind schedule after losing an average of two days a week due to poor weather since November.
Transport Scotland insisted contractors are working hard to ensure the bridge can open as soon as possible, but added that ‘no one can control the weather’.
The most significant part of the work set to start in central Scotland will see seven miles of the A8, between Baillieston and Newhouse, upgraded to a motorway.
There will also be a new Baillieston Interchange linking the M8 to the M73 motorway, and a new Shawhead Junction, linking the M8 to the A725 trunk road.
Graeme Reid, Transport Scotland project manager for the M8, M73 and M74 improvements project, said: ‘Transport Scotland is working with the contractor to ensure these works are completed as quickly as possible.
‘Delays will be inevitable, so we are asking motorists to check the Transport Scotland and Traffic Scotland websites for updates on these routes, to plan their journeys in advance and to look at taking an alternative route if possible.’
‘Disruption will lead to frustration’