M8 set for nine months of disruption as roadworks begin

Scotland’s busiest road is set to face nine months of disruption as roadworks get under way.

A £10m programme of bridge repairs and road upgrades is set to begin on the M8 at Junction 26 – spanning both the eastbound and westbound carriageways – on Monday.

The essential works, led by Amey on behalf of Transport Scotland, will be delivered over five phases between September 2025 and spring 2026.

The project will see significant upgrades to four key bridge structures, including work to vehicle parapets, waterproofing, safety barriers, and resurfacing.

The affected bridges are Hillington Interchange East, Hillington Interchange West, Hillington Rail and Hillington Slip.

‘Significant delays’

The road, which is used by 150,000 people a day, will be disrupted until May 10, 2026. There will be a brief break throughout the festive period before work restarts in January.

The first phase will run from Monday, September 8, until Wednesday, October 1, 2025.

A contraflow system will be in place on the M8 mainline at Junction 26, with lanes two and three of the eastbound carriageway closed.

The M8 Junction 26 eastbound on-slip road will be closed throughout this phase, with diversions as follows;

Renfrew/Braehead area (north of Hillington Interchange).
Daytime (6am–7pm): traffic will be diverted via King’s Inch Road and Old Govan Road to join the M8 at Junction 25A (Braehead).
Overnight (7pm–6am): drivers will be diverted via Renfrew Road, Shieldhall Road and Helen Street to access the M8 at Junction 24 (Helen Street Interchange).
Hillington Industrial Estate (south of Hillington Interchange).
All traffic will be diverted via Hillington Road, Paisley Road West and Helen Street before rejoining the M8 eastbound at Junction 24.

A 40mph speed limit will be enforced across the project area, with average speed cameras, and recovery vehicles will also be stationed on site.

Overnight closures will be needed during the project to allow for traffic management changes, and details will be published in advance.

Construction will take place around the clock, so noise disruption is expected. Noise-dampening measures will be used overnight where possible.

Abnormal loads will not be permitted to travel eastbound between Junctions 27 and 26, although westbound movements will still be possible.

Emergency service access will be maintained throughout.

Road maintenance company Amey notes that “significant delays” are anticipated throughout the works and motorists are being advised to allow extra time for journeys and consider alternative routes.

Next phases of work

Phase two of the project will begin on October 2 and run until December 14. During this period, lanes one and two of the eastbound carriageway will be closed. The eastbound on-slip road at Junction 26 will also remain shut.

Phase three will start on December 15 and focus on barrier upgrades. Lane three will be closed in both directions on the M8. This phase will pause for the Christmas period, from December 18 to January 5, before resuming and finishing on February 8.

Phase four is scheduled from February 9 to March 2. It will see lanes two and three closed westbound. The westbound off-slip at Junction 26 will also be closed overnight and for one weekend.

The final phase will begin on March 3 and run until May 10, 2026, completing the refurbishment programme.

The scheme has been developed in consultation with Transport Scotland, Traffic Scotland, Renfrewshire Council, Glasgow City Council, West Dunbartonshire Council and Braehead Shopping Centre.

The project schedule is weather dependent and may be subject to change.

A spokesperson said: “These essential works will help ensure the continued safe and reliable operation of the M8 at Hillington Interchange. We would like to thank road users for their patience and understanding while this important refurbishment is carried out.”