M8 improvement scheme to start soon

Work on a £415 million scheme to improve the M8 in Scotland is expected to get under way soon.

Transport Minister Keith Brown said: “The central Scotland motorway network is moving closer to completion with Transport Scotland working hard to secure the final details of the contract with the preferred bidder, Scottish Roads Partnership (SRP), with the main works expected to begin in the early weeks of the new year.”

In recent months, there has been advance work taking place along the Baillieston to Newhouse stretch of the A8 and near the Raith Junction on the M74. This work to stabilise areas of former mine workings adjacent to the A8/A725 at Shawhead was completed in July.

Brown added: “The project will complete the motorway network between Glasgow and Edinburgh by providing a new motorway between Baillieston to Newhouse. It also includes work to improve the Raith Interchange and widening key sections of the M8, M73 and M74.

“When complete the new section of road will shave up to 18 minutes off journeys at peak times for vehicles using busy sections of the M8 each day. It is also expected to directly support hundreds of jobs, as well as many more in the supply chain.

“The Scottish government is continuing to invest in our transport infrastructure and the improvements made by this project will have long-lasting benefits for people across the central belt and beyond. This project will boost the nation’s economy by improving connections for businesses across Scotland and will directly support the hard-pressed construction industry.

“Following selection as preferred bidder in August this year, Transport Scotland are continuing to work closely with SRP to finalise the contract details to allow them to secure their funding package for the £415m project and will continue that work to ensure works progress as programmed with minimum disruption to road users to keep the project on track for Spring 2017 completion.”