A89/history

The A89 runs entirely on old sections of the A8, though different sections were created at different times.

1930s

When roads were originally classified, the A89 number did not exist and was left spare.

The Glasgow and Edinburgh Road had been planned as a new major motor road project between the two cities immediately after the end of the First World War as an unemployment relief scheme. It was not completely new build and used sections of existing roads, starting on the A8 east of Bathgate and running southwest on new build road to what was the A705 west of Whitburn as part of an online upgrade. It diverged from this road at Newhouse to run on new build northwest to the A80.

Construction of the Glasgow and Edinburgh Road started in 1924, but was subject to numerous delays involving existing bridge crossings, and the road appears to have been opened in piecemeal sections from 1930 onwards, with the entire route being open in Summer 1932. Maps of this period continue to show the A8 running via Bathgate and Airdrie to Glasgow, with the Glasgow and Edinburgh Road being either A705 or un-numbered.

By 1936 (presumably on 16th May, 1935), the A8 was diverted onto the new road and the old route between Glasgow and Bathgate became the A89.

1960s

There was online dualling between Baillieston and Coatbridge which first appeared on the 1969 OS Quarter inch map. Part was a 1.5 mile section which was recorded as completed in 1967 per the 1967 Scottish Development Department Report.

1970s

The A89 was further extended east to Newbridge along a further section of the A8 in the 1970s. The M8 opened to Newbridge in 1971. This took on the majority of through traffic and so the parallel A8 was renumbered or downgraded a few years later.