The M8 Motorway

The M8 Motorway crosses 5 counties. These are City of Edinburgh, City of Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire and West Lothian.

The primary purpose of the M8 was to connect the City of Glasgow with the Scottish Capital Edinburgh.

The M8 starts it journey on the south bank of the river Clyde. One mile south of Dumbarton Castle on the opposing bank and one mile east of Langbank, Port Glasgow.

Journeys end lies 56 miles east at the Hermiston Gait roundabout on the outskirts of the City of Edinburgh.

Construction work started in 1965 by Lanark County Council who acted as agents of the Scottish Development Department. The motorway was opened in sections with the majority of work completed by 1995.

There was a notable break in the motorway for six miles between Ballieston and Newhouse with the A8 left to take the strain. This was rectified when the missing section was completed in 2017.