• First phase completed on weekend of 11-14 October 2024

• Second phase scheduled for 18-21 October; motorists warned to expect delays

The first phase of refurbishment works on the Longacre bridge, which carries the M8 motorway over Craigens Road between Junctions 5 and 6, have been successfully completed by Transport Scotland’s operating company BEAR Scotland, with a second phase of similar works scheduled for the weekend of 18-21 October.

Motorists are warned to plan ahead and expect delays if they need to travel on the M8 on the weekend 18-21 October.

A full programme of deck refurbishment and waterproofing replacement works was completed on the westbound half of the bridge over the weekend of 11-14 October:

• Old surfacing and waterproofing were removed, so that the condition of the underlying concrete bridge deck could be assessed and areas requiring repair identified
• Damaged and decayed concrete was then removed using hydrodemolition (very high-pressure water jets) before being repaired and reinstated with new materials
• After curing of the concrete, a new waterproofing membrane was applied, followed by the installation of new kerbs
• A new surfacing course was then laid, and road markings reinstated.

The nature of these works required the M8 traffic to be managed under a contraflow system. This resulted in some delays to traffic, as BEAR Scotland had warned, however the motorway was reopened on Monday morning as planned.

The second phase of works, on the eastbound side of the motorway, is scheduled to take place on the weekend of 18 to 21 October. A contraflow system will be in place on the M8 between Junction 5 and Junction 6 from 20:30 on the night of Friday 18 October until 06:00 on Monday 21 October.

David Bishop, BEAR Scotland’s South East Unit Bridges Manager, said: “We are pleased that the first phase of this project went as smoothly as it did and we thank motorists for their understanding during the delays experienced.

“This project to refurbish and re-waterproof the bridge deck is essential to ensuring that this motorway structure will continue to provide safe and reliable service for years to come. It will help to avoid the need for reactive closures of the M8 to undertake surfacing repairs caused by underlying bridge deck issues, as has been the case in previous winters.

“The works have been scheduled over weekends in order to minimise travel disruption as much as possible, with the weekends in question also having been specifically chosen to avoid events taking place in communities along the M8 corridor as much as possible.

“Ahead of the upcoming second phase, we thank motorists again for their patience and understanding and recommend that they check the latest travel updates and allow extra travel time for their journeys during these periods.

“Whilst every effort will be made to ensure that the M8 is fully open to traffic on the Monday morning, the extent of concrete repairs required will not be known until the existing surfacing is removed.  These works are also highly weather dependent and so could be postponed and rearranged at short notice depending on weather forecasts.”

Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.traffic.gov.scot, or on X at @trafficscotland.

All work is weather dependent and subject to postponement or cancellation in the event of adverse conditions.