A road in South Lanarkshire is to be closed over five weeks to allow works on the M8/M73/M74 Motorway Improvements Project,

Access to and from Hamilton and Bothwell via Raith, M74 Junction 5 will be restricted from Monday, 26 October.

In addition, the B7071 Bellshill Road from Whistleberry Toll to Bothwell Bridge roundabout will be closed southbound.

Due to the traffic management, there will be no access to Bothwell or Hamilton from Raith, Junction 5 of the M74 and the A725.

This will be followed by a full closure of both carriageways of the B7071 for one weekend between 27-30 November.

This closure will prevent access to or from Hamilton Road and Bothwell Road, Bothwell, via Whistleberry Toll, Raith, resulting in no access to or from Bothwell or Hamilton from Raith, Junction 5 of the M74 and the A725.


Diversions are to be in place.

The closures will allow the construction of the approach roads to the new Raith Junction linking to the existing mini roundabout at Bothwell Bridge.

When complete, the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project will reduce congestion across the central Scotland motorway network, including at M74 J5 Raith.

Graeme Reid, project sponsor for the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project, said: "As a strategic connection on Central Scotland's motorway network, Raith Junction is undergoing a major transformation and one of the biggest challenges we have is to keep the high volume of traffic using this heavily congested junction moving.

"Work is well underway to create an underpass below the existing roundabout, providing a free flow link (1.8km) for traffic between the A725 Bellshill Bypass and the A725 East Kilbride Expressway, cutting out the existing delays and congestion at Raith.

"Constructing a new three level junction is a complex engineering task, especially with live traffic passing through it."

(LM)