• Contraflow and slip road closures on two weekends:
  26-29 August and 9-12 September

Motorists are reminded to plan ahead and expect delays during essential bridge maintenance works on the M8 between Junctions 3 and 4 on the weekends of 26-29 August and 9-12 September.

Earlier this summer it was announced that the bridge carrying the motorway over the railway at Junction 3A Bathgate is to undergo deck refurbishment and waterproofing replacement works.

The nature of the project means the M8 will need to be reduced to a single lane in each direction, with traffic managed under a contraflow system between Junctions 3 and 4 over two full weekends. The contraflow will be in place from 20:30 on the evening of Friday 26 August until 06:00 on Monday 29 August and then again from 20:30 on the evening of Friday 9 September until 06:00 on Monday 12 September.

Full weekends working are required to allow the existing bridge deck surfacing and waterproofing to be removed, concrete repairs to be undertaken and a new waterproofing system applied, before the bridge is resurfaced and expansion joints are reinstated.

In addition, slip roads off the M8 at Junction 3A will be closed as follows:

• On the weekend of 26-29 August, the eastbound M8 off-slip will be closed. Traffic wishing to leave the M8 at Junction 3A will be directed to leave the M8 earlier at Junction 4 and follow the A801 and A7066 towards their destination. This diversion will add an estimated half a mile and three minutes to affected journeys. The eastbound M8 on-slip will be unaffected.
• On the weekend of 9-12 September, the westbound M8 off-slip will be closed. Traffic wishing to leave the M8 at Junction 3A will be directed to leave the M8 earlier at Junction 3 and follow the A899, A705 and A779 towards their destination. This diversion will add an estimated two miles and five minutes to affected journeys. The westbound M8 on-slip will be unaffected.

Chris Tracey, BEAR Scotland’s South East Unit Bridges Manager, said: “These works are essential to ensuring that this motorway structure continues to provide safe and reliable service for years to come. The waterproofing membrane of this structure was last replaced over 20 years ago and has reached the end of its serviceable life.

“A key benefit will be to reduce the need for reactive closures of the M8 to carry out surfacing repairs caused by underlying bridge deck issues, as has been the case in previous winters.

“The works have been scheduled at weekends in order to minimise travel disruption as much as possible, and the dates have been chosen to avoid key events taking place in communities along the M8 corridor.

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

“We thank motorists in advance for their patience and understanding and recommend that they check the latest travel updates and allow extra time for their journeys if they do need to use the M8 on these weekends.”

Consultation has taken place with all relevant stakeholders including local authorities and Police Scotland in advance of these works to make them aware of the traffic management arrangements.

Live traffic information is available from the Traffic Scotland website and Twitter account.