Motorists using the M8 at night over the next few weeks are being advised to allow a few extra minutes for their journey, with carriageway closures planned on sections of the motorway between Junctions 1 and 6A each night from 26 May until 14 July.
This is to allow Transport Scotland’s operating company BEAR Scotland to carry out a variety of routine maintenance tasks, including grass cutting, drainage cleaning, sign cleaning, detailed inspections and road sweeping.
To minimise the extent of the required closures, the works will be carried out in 14 phases, with a different section of carriageway closed in each phase.
Dates, locations and diversion routes are listed in the table below.
| Date | Time | Location | Traffic mgt | Diversion |
| 26 May
(1 Night) |
20:30-06:00 | M8 westbound Junction 1-2 |
Westbound carriageway closure | Follow A720 north to Gogar Roundabout, A8 Glasgow Road west to M9 J1 (Newbridge Roundabout), and M9 southbound to M8 J2. |
| 27, 28 & 29 May
(3 Nights) |
20:30-06:00 | M8 westbound Junction 2-3 |
Westbound carriageway closure | M9 southbound traffic turn off at J1. M8 westbound traffic turn off at J2 and follow to M9 J1 Newbridge. Both take A89 west to Dechmont Roundabout, take the first exit and travel south to M8 J3. |
| 30 May & 2, 3 June
(3 Nights) |
20:30-06:00 | M8 westbound Junction 3-3A |
Westbound carriageway closure | Follow A899 north to Dechmont Roundabout, A89 west to Boghall Roundabout, and A779 south to access M8 J3A from Starlaw West Roundabout. |
| 4, 5 & 6 June
(3 Nights) |
20:30-06:00 | M8 westbound Junction 3A-4 |
Westbound carriageway closure | Leave M8 westbound at J3A and take first exit at Starlaw Roundabout onto A779 to Boghall Roundabout, A7066 Starlaw Road to Boghead Roundabout. and A801 to M8 J4. |
| 8 & 9 June
(2 Nights) |
20:30-06:00 | M8 westbound Junction 4-4A |
Westbound carriageway closure | Follow A801 south then A705 (Main Street) west through Whitburn. Turn right onto A7069 Polkemmet Road then north to M8 J4A. |
| 10, 11, 12 & 13 June
(4 Nights) |
20:30-06:00 | M8 westbound Junction 4A-5 |
Westbound carriageway closure | Travel south and then west on B7066 Hirst Road through Harthill. Turn right along B7057 to M8 J5. |
| 16 & 17 June
(2 Nights) |
20:30-06:00 | M8 westbound Junction 5-6 |
Westbound carriageway closure | Follow B7066 to Newhouse Roundabout, take third exit onto A73 then first exit onto A8. Next roundabout take third exit on to M8 J6A. |
| 18, 19 & 20 June
(3 Nights) |
20:30-06:00 | M8 eastbound Junction 6A-5 |
Eastbound carriageway closure | Exit M8 J6A, take second exit onto A8. Continue to J6 Newhouse and take third exit onto A73, first exit onto B7066 then left onto B7057 to M8 J5. |
| 23, 24 & 25 June
(3 Nights) |
20:30-06:00 | M8 eastbound Junction 5-4A |
Eastbound carriageway closure | Follow B7057 south and B7066 Hirst Road through Harthill. Go straight over all roundabouts to access M8 J4A. |
| 26 & 27 June
(2 Nights) |
20:30-06:00 | M8 eastbound Junction 4A-4 |
Eastbound carriageway closure | From M8 J4A travel south over four roundabouts, before turning left along West Main Street through Whitburn and A705 East Main Street through East Whitburn. Turn left along A801 to M8 J4. |
| 30 June & 1 July
(2 Nights) |
20:30-06:00 | M8 eastbound Junction 4-3A |
Eastbound carriageway closure | Traffic leaving M8 J4 and traffic looking to join should both travel north on the A801 to Boghead Roundabout, east on the A7066 to Boghall Roundabout, and south on the A779 to M8 J3A. |
| 2, 3 & 4 July
(3 Nights) |
20:30-06:00 | M8 eastbound Junction 3A-3 |
Eastbound carriageway closure | Traffic exiting the M8 eastbound at J3A and traffic looking to join should follow Carnegie Road east to Royston Roundabout, Deans Road and the A89 to Dechmont Roundabout, and the A899 to M8 J3. |
| 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 July
(5 Nights) |
20:30-06:00 | M8 eastbound Junction 3-2 |
Eastbound carriageway closure | From M8 J3 follow A899 to Dechmont Roundabout, then A89 Edinburgh Road east to M9 J1 Newbridge. Taking the third exit, continue on M9 south to M8 J2. |
| 17 July
(1 Night) |
20:30-06:00 | M8 eastbound Junction 2-1 |
Eastbound carriageway closure | From M8 J2 follow M9 north to J1, A8 Glasgow Road to Gogar Roundabout, and A720 to M8 J1 Hermiston Gait. |
Consultation has been carried out with emergency services and other relevant stakeholders to share information about the works in advance.
Tommy Deans, BEAR Scotland’s South East Network Manager, said: “We’ll be taking advantage of these overnight closures on the M8 to carry out as many routine maintenance tasks as possible, reducing the overall need for closures and traffic management.
“It is essential for the safety of the workforce that we close the carriageway while work is taking place. Our advice if you need to use the M8 at night during this period is to plan ahead and allow a few extra minutes for your journey.
“We’re grateful to road users and the local community for their understanding.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.traffic.gov.scot, or on X at @trafficscotland.
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