A8
A8 | |||||||||||||||||||
Location Map ( geo) | |||||||||||||||||||
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From: | Edinburgh (NT258740) | ||||||||||||||||||
To: | Greenock (NS280763) | ||||||||||||||||||
Via: | Glasgow | ||||||||||||||||||
Distance: | 68.8 miles (110.7 km) | ||||||||||||||||||
Meets: | A1, A7, A720, M9, M8, A725, M73, A77, A739 | ||||||||||||||||||
Primary Destinations | |||||||||||||||||||
Highway Authorities | |||||||||||||||||||
Traditional Counties | |||||||||||||||||||
Route outline (key) | |||||||||||||||||||
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For the similarly numbered road in Northern Ireland, see A8 (Northern Ireland).
Route
In the beginning, the A8 connected the two principal cities of Scotland, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Its motorway replacement has emerged piecemeal since the 1970s, with the latest section (J6 Newhouse -J8 Baillieston) opening in April 2017, with the A8 designation being 'kept' by the old road as a local access road (LAR) between these two junctions. The motorway was largely offline, but through Eurocentral junction took the A8 mainline, necessitating construction of new carriageways for the LAR.
Furthermore, it’s still one of the main roads in and out of the centres of each of those two historic cities, notwithstanding the westward connection to Greenock. It’s a misnomer to consider the A8 as a through route in its own right any more, consisting as it does of two separate major urban through routes and two (formerly three) separate trunk roads with a thirty-mile gap in the middle that has been downgraded in a number of guises.
History
The A8 was the main road of Scotland's Central Belt until the M8 was built. Most of the Eastern section was taken over by the M8 while much of the Port Glasgow-Greenock section has been upgraded. The section to Gourock is now numbered A770.
Notable locations and improvements
Newbridge Roundabout
The Newbridge Roundabout is where the A8 meets the M9 motorway. This marks the end of the A8 in Edinburgh as the A89 takes over much of its route. It was originally an at-grade roundabout with the M8 ending there too. It is now Junction 1 of the M9.
Baillieston Interchange
The Baillieston Interchange is the major junction in Scotland. First built in the 1970's for the M73. Later the M8 opened and the A8 lost the mainline to the west.
Victoria Bridge
Victoria Bridge is one of the Bridges the A8 crosses in Glasgow. The other is called the Albert Bridge. Together they allow the A8 to cross the River Clyde.
Opening Dates
Month | Year | Section | Notes |
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2017 | Newhouse Junction - Baillieston Interchange | New LAR opened. | |
2005 | Newhouse Junction - Baillieston Interchange | Pre-motorway upgrade. | |
1985 | Shorting | A8 shorten in Greenock. | |
1974 | Gogar Stone - Gogar Park | 1 mile online dualling. | |
1974 | Port Glasgow - M8 West Ferry Interchange | 2.9 mile online dualling with diversions at Langbank. | |
1972 | Baillieston Interchange | New Interchange with M73. | |
1969 | Newbridge Junction - Gogar Stone | 2.11 mile online dualling. | |
1967 | Port Glasgow Relief Road | 0.85 mile dual carriageway from Scarlow Street to Fyfepark Road. | |
1965 | Newhouse Junction | Upgrade to Motorway. | |
1963 | Baillieston - Newhouse Industrial Estate | 5.6 mile online dual carriageway. Cost £1.4 million. | |
1854 | Victoria Bridge | Bridge to Cross River Clyde. |
Links
Roads.org.uk
Roads UK