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Erskine Bridge

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Erskine Bridge
Drochaid Arasgain
Location Map ( geo)
Erskine Bridge.jpg
Cameraicon.png View gallery (17)
From:  Erskine
To:  Old Kilpatrick
County
Dunbartonshire • Renfrewshire
Highway Authority
Transport Scotland
Opening Date
2nd July 1971
Toll
Free. Toll abolished 2006.
Additional Information
List No:  LB52482  (Cat A)
Bridge Type:  Cable Stayed
Engineer:  Fairhurst Engineering
On road(s)
A898

The Erskine Bridge carries the A898 across the River Clyde between Renfrewshire and Dunbartonshire to the west of Glasgow. It connects the M8 (via the M898) to the A82, providing a much needed link for through traffic. Now that the M74 extension is open, it should make the bridge an even better bet for long distance north-south traffic, as the M74 avoids some of the Kingston Bridge bottleneck.

Before the bridge was built, the Erskine Ferry crossed just upstream from the location of the bridge.

The Crossing

Underneath the Erskine Bridge

The Erskine Bridge crosses from Old Kilpatrick to Erskine, on opposite banks of the River Clyde and carries the D2 A898. At the north end, the A898 connects to the A82 via a free flow junction. At the south, the A898 becomes the M898 after a junction with the A726 to Erskine and beyond.

The central section of the Bridge is a cable-stay bridge with two piers on the river banks supporting the concrete deck of the roadway, however either side of this viaduct approaches span the shore, with both approaches curving eastwards before making landfall. The northern approach is supported by at least 7 more piers (the surrounding hillside is surrounded by woodland making it difficult to see without further investigation), while there are 4 more piers on the southern shore. As the approaches span land, the piers can be closer together, so removing the need for additional supports, however as the central span is much wider, to clear the Clyde and lift the roadway high enough for shipping to pass underneath, the cables are required to support the deck. The central span is 305m flanked by anchor spans of 110m each.

On the south shore, the bridge makes landfall fairly quickly, dipping to the A726 junction and crossing no more than a footpath and track on its way. However, to the north of the Clyde the bridge also crosses the Forth & Clyde Canal, A814 and West Highland Railway Line before touching down.

The deck has a deep centre section spanning between piers, with the cycle/foot ways cantilevered out in a slimmer section of concrete. On either side, in the angle between the two sections, there are rails for inspection carriages to run along, some of which can link up with caged ladders from the footways. The purpose of the other steel cages suspended under the bridge is uncertain.

History

The bridge and dual carriageway on 3.35 miles between Toll Plaza Interchange, Erskine (M898) to Old Kilpatrick Interchange (A82) was opened on 2 July 1971. Such was the occasion that BBC2 had a scheduled 1 hour 20 minutes programme at 2.25pm "H.R.H. Princess Anne opens the Erskine High Level Bridge". It was designed by Freeman Fox & Partners.

Listing

In 2018, the bridge was listed for its minimalistic design and importance in Scottish transport history.

Primary Destination

The Erskine Bridge is also a Primary Destination, which is widely signed on approaching routes. This is due to it being the lowest crossing point of the Clyde, and so it is used by many people to cross the river.

Emergency Telephones

In 2019, the four "K8" emergency telephone boxes (two pairs on the north and south sides of the river) along with their internal equipment were listed.

Routes

Route To Notes

M8

Greenock

M8

Paisley, Glasgow Airport

M898

Paisley, Glasgow Airport, Greenock (M8)

A82

Crianlarich

A811

Stirling accessed via A82

A898

Glasgow, Crianlarich (A82)

A82

Glasgow

A726

Paisley, Erskine

A810

Duntocher, Hardgate, Bearsden

A814

Clydebank

A878

Old Kilpatrick link between A82 and A814

B815

Bishopstone

A740

Paisley, Erskine

Links




Erskine Bridge
Sections
Junctions
Roads
A82 • A726 • A740 (Paisley - Old Kilpatrick) • A810 • A814 • A878 • A898 • B815 • E05 • M8 • M898
Related Pictures
View gallery (17)
Erskine Bridge.jpgErskine6.jpgGlasgow Highway Plans circa 1965 - Coppermine - 4808.jpgM898 Erskine Bridge - Coppermine - 4796.jpg20180518-1930 - Erskine Road Bridge from Marr Hall 55.92278N 4.47886W.jpg
Crossings of the River Clyde and tributories
River ClydeElvanfoot (MotorwayOriginal) • Clyde’s Bridge • Lamington Bridge • Wolfclyde Bridge • Thankerton Bridge • Hyndford Bridge • Clydesholm Bridge • Kirkfieldbank Bridge • Crossford Bridge • Garrion Bridge • Clyde Bridge • Bothwell Bridge • Haughhead Bridge • Clydeford Road Bridge • Cambuslang Bridge • Bogleshole Road Bridge • Archenshuggle Bridge • Dalmarnock Bridge • Rutherglen Bridge • King's Bridge • Albert Bridge • Victoria Bridge • Glasgow Bridge • George V Bridge • Kingston Bridge • Clyde Arc • Harbour Tunnel • Clyde Tunnel • Renfrew-Yoker Ferry • Erskine Ferry • Erskine Bridge
River NethanMilton Bridge (Lesmahagow)


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