B8046

The B8046 is a minor road which runs north-south across West Lothian, providing an important link between a number of the smaller settlements to the north and east of Livingston.

Route

Mid Calder - Uphall

Lizzie Bryce's Roundabout

The route begins at Lizzie Brice's Roundabout towards the southern edge of Livingston, from where it initially heads east, before curving north along Calder Park Road, running through suburbs towards Mid Calder. It crosses the original route of the A71, now partially closed up, before meeting the B7015 at a TOTSO to form a multiplex and short 40mph section running eastwards into the village, where the speed limit drops back to 30. Mid Calder still retains a traditional village centre, despite almost being consumed by the New Town, and at the far end the B8046 turns left to regain its independence, while the B7015 continues east to East Calder.

The road is now traffic calmed as it drops down the hill and passes the entrance to the Almondell Country Park. At the bottom of the hill, the river Crosses the River Almond and the limit rises back to 40mph as a steep climb around sharp bends leads the road back up out of the Almond Valley. It is now skirting the eastern edge of Livingston, before reaching the traditional shale-oil mining town of Pumpherston. The road here is arrow-straight northwards through town and across a signalised crossroads, beyond which it enters the village of Uphall Station. After passing the titular station, the road goes under the railway line and the M8 in quick succession. There is then a short run across fields before the road meets a set of traffic lights to cross the A89. The speed limit then drops back down to 30 as the B8046 enters the town of Uphall and quickly reaches a roundabout with the A899; the tow routes multiplexing east towards the town centre.

Uphall - Old Philipston

The multiplex doesn't last long, however, and a traffic-light-controlled T junction sees the B8046 turn left and so leave the A899 behind. It climbs steeply past a cemetery as it leaves Uphall and finally enjoys a brief run through the countryside to the village of Ecclesmachen. The village is quite spaced out, with many of the houses hidden behind trees and hedges leaving a rural feel. Beyond the village, the road snakes steeply up hill before dropping back down into the village of Threemiletown where there is another 40mph limit. This village is a a collection of blocks of houses sitting in fields, and so again feels quite rural. The B9080 (former A9) is met in the village, and the two routes briefly multiplex to the east, although it is little more than an elongated crossroads.

Narrow railway bridge

Continuing north, the road becomes more wooded, as it drops gently down the hill to the canal. Here there are a pair of single-track traffic-light-controlled bridges, in quick succession. The first is over the Union Canal and then around a double bend the second crosses over the Edinburgh to Glasgow Mainline railway. Leaving the trees behind, the road straightens up as it passes through the small settlement of Old Philpstoun. It then passes under the M9, where a pair of west-facing sliproads allow access to the motorway at J2. Unusually, the west facing slips are provided a couple of miles to the east at J3. The B8046 comes to an end shortly afterwards at a T-Junction on the A904.

History

With the exception of the southern end of the road, which was built as part of the road network of Livingston New Town and which opened with the B8046 number, the road was originally numbered as the B707, making it one of the very few Zone 7 routes which entered Zone 9. By 1932 the road had been upgraded to Class I status south of the A8 (present A899), becoming the A767, meaning a new 8-zone number was required for the rest; the B8046 therefore dates to this time.

Growth of Livingston New Town saw the A767 downgraded following construction of the parallel - and higher quality - A899. The B8046 was therefore extended south along its vacated route and the old B707 was reunited again under the same (albeit out-of-zone) number. The southernmost section, between the B7015 and A71 at Lizzie Brice's Roundabout is a new road which was added to the B8046 route upon completion in the 1980s.