Cowcaddens Cross

Cowcaddens Cross is nominally the modern starting point of both the A81 and A82 in the north west corner of Glasgow city centre. However, neither of these routes originally started here, indeed they originally met at the junction of West Nile Street (A81) and Argyle Street (A82) in the heart of the city. Back in 1922, the A81 passed through Cowcaddens Cross, with West Graham Street being the route of the B810. In 1934, the A82 had been re-routed to follow Great Western Road, and continue, after a short multiplex with the A81, down Buchanan Street into the city centre.

It seems that the construction of the M8 around Glasgow city centre led to the A82 being curtailed to the easternmost sliproads from the new motorway. At the time, the A81 appears to have continued right into the city centre, but it too has subsequently been curtailed, with all classified roads removed from the central area.

So do the A81 and A82 still reach Cowcaddens Cross today? Maps disagree, signage for the junction is poor, and online searches yield mixed results, but nothing official or conclusive. However, on the westbound approach along Cowcaddens Road, Garscube Road is signed as being the A81, and if one route reaches the junction it seems logical that both do. Unfortunately, Glasgow's road lists are not available on line, so for now it is impossible to be certain.

The Junction

The junction itself is essentially a signalised crossroads. West Graham Street (A82) approaches as a single carriageway form the west, widening as it reaches the junction. Garscube Road (A81) approaches as an S4 from the north, and belying its history as the continuation of the A81, Cowcaddens Road sweeps to the east as a Dual Carriagway. The fourth arm is little Rose Street, which approaches from the south as a one-way street out of the city centre. All of the approaches have two turning lanes except Cowcaddens Road which has a third, allowing two lanes to head onto the A81 Garscube Road. The centre of the junction is covered by a large, irregular Yellow Box.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
A81	Aberfoyle, Maryhill
A82	Dumbarton	Originally B810
	City Centre, Parking, Queen St Station, Central Station
	No Entry