The A8 is a major road in
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
, connecting
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
to
Greenock
Greenock (; sco, Greenock; gd, Grianaig, ) is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council areas of Scotland, council area in Scotland, United Kingdom and a former burgh of barony, burgh within the Counties of Scotland, historic ...
via
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
. Its importance diminished following the construction of the
M8 motorway which also covers the route between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Route and relationship to M8
Edinburgh
The A8 begins at the West End of Edinburgh, in the
New Town
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
. The road originally also included
Princes Street
Princes Street ( gd, Sràid nam Prionnsan) is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland and the main shopping street in the capital. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1.2 km (three ...
, but this stretch was declassified, as Princes Street is no longer open to all traffic.
The road continues westwards into the suburbs of the city passing
Murrayfield
Murrayfield is an affluent area to the west of Edinburgh city centre in Scotland. It is to the east of Corstorphine and north of Balgreen and Roseburn. The A8 road runs east–west through the south of the area. Murrayfield is often conside ...
and
Corstorphine
Corstorphine (Scottish Gaelic: ''Crois Thoirfinn'') ( ) is an area of the Scottish capital city of Edinburgh. Formerly a separate village and parish to the west of Edinburgh, it is now a suburb of the city, having been formally incorporate ...
, often with an accompanying bus lane. Only once the road reaches the
A720 City Bypass does it become a
primary route
The United Kingdom has a network of roads, of varied quality and capacity, totalling about . Road distances are shown in miles or yards and UK speed limits are indicated in miles per hour (mph) or by the use of the national speed limit (NSL) sy ...
, leading out past the
Royal Highland Showground
The Royal Highland Centre, originally the Royal Highland Showground, is an exhibition centre and showground located at Ingliston in the western outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland, adjacent to Edinburgh Airport and the A8.
History
The Royal Highla ...
at
Ingliston
Ingliston (; sco, Inglistoun) is an area in the west of Edinburgh, near Maybury, South Gyle and Newbridge, and is home to Edinburgh Airport and The Royal Highland Showground.
History
The name Ingliston either means the "settlement of the Ing ...
, and
Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport is an airport located in the Ingliston area of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2019, handling over 14.7 million passengers. It was also the sixth-busiest airport in the United Kingdom by t ...
.
At
Newbridge, the A8 meets the start of the M8 and
M9 motorways. From here the A8 is interrupted; it has been renumbered
A89 until
Bathgate
Bathgate ( sco, Bathket or , gd, Both Chèit) is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, west of Livingston and adjacent to the M8 motorway. Nearby towns are Armadale, Blackburn, Linlithgow, Livingston, West Calder and Whitburn. Situated sout ...
,
A7066 to
Whitburn and then
B7066 Harthill, until it resumes at
Newhouse.
Glasgow
From Newhouse it runs parallel to the M8. Until recently there was no road of motorway standard between Newhouse and
Baillieston
Baillieston ( sco, Bailiestoun) is a suburb of Glasgow, Scotland. It is about east of the city centre.
It also gives its name to Ward 20 of Glasgow City Council and forms part of the Glasgow East constituency of the UK Parliament.
Geograph ...
in the eastern suburbs of Glasgow, and the A8 still carried all through traffic here, having been progressively upgraded to meet demand. However it was finally replaced in 2017 by the last section of the M8.
M8, M73, M74 motorway improvements in Scotland
Go Construct, 21 December 2020 It is now the principal non-motorway access between the Eurocentral
Eurocentral is one of the largest industrial estates in Scotland, situated on the edge of Holytown and Mossend, North Lanarkshire, just off the M8 motorway, about east of Glasgow city centre and west of Edinburgh. The nearest communities to th ...
business park and the settlements of Chapelhall
Chapelhall (from the Gaelic Seipeal Allt - Chapel by a burn) is a village outside the town of Airdrie in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. With house building, the distinction between Airdrie and Chapelhall is being eroded. Established as a small min ...
and Calderbank
Calderbank is a village outside the town of Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It lies west of the M73 motorway, M73, on the west bank of the North Calder Water. The village lies east of Glasgow city centre and ar ...
, south of Airdrie.
Just prior to Junction 8 of the M8 it diverges from the motorway, and meets the A89 at Bargeddie
Bargeddie (; gd, Bàrr Geadaidh) is a village in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, just inside the suburban fringe of Glasgow, east of the city centre, and close to the junction of the M73 and M8 motorways. The nearest major town is Coatbridge, to ...
while co-existing as the interchange for the M8 and M73. At a roundabout near Swinton it briefly merges with the A89 and heads towards central Glasgow. The A8 now passes through suburban Garrowhill
Garrowhill ( sco, Garraehill or , gd, An Cnoc Garbh)
i ...
, Barlanark
Barlanark ( ) is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated east of Budhill, Shettleston and Springboig, north west of Baillieston, west of Springhill and Swinton and south of Easthall, Easterhouse and Wellhouse.
Name
Th ...
, Wellhouse
Wellhouse is a residential neighbourhood in the East End of the Scottish city of Glasgow. Since 2007 it has been part of the Baillieston administrative ward within the Glasgow City Council area.
Location and history
Wellhouse consists primarily ...
, Springboig, Cranhill
Cranhill is an inner city district and housing scheme in the north east of Glasgow, Scotland. Cranhill was developed from public funding in the early 1950s and was originally, chiefly composed of four-storey tenement blocks surrounding a patch ...
and Carntyne
Carntyne ( gd, Càrn an Teine) is a suburban district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde, and in the east end of the city. Since 2007 it has formed the core of the East Centre ward under Glasgow City Coun ...
as Edinburgh Road – much of which is a two/three-lane dual-carriageway, but an urban restriction is still applied – then past Haghill
Haghill is a residential neighbourhood in Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated in the east end of the city, north of the River Clyde. The housing includes tenements (from the 1900s and the 1930s), former council houses and several more recently con ...
and Dennistoun
Dennistoun is a mostly residential district in Glasgow, Scotland, located north of the River Clyde and in the city's east end, about east of the city centre. Since 2017 it has formed the core of a Dennistoun ward under Glasgow City Council, ...
as Alexandra Parade into the city centre at Glasgow Royal Infirmary
The Glasgow Royal Infirmary (GRI) is a large teaching hospital. With a capacity of around 1,000 beds, the hospital campus covers an area of around , and straddles the Townhead and Dennistoun districts on the north-eastern fringe of the city cen ...
and Glasgow Cathedral
Glasgow Cathedral ( gd, Cathair-eaglais Ghlaschu) is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in Glasgow, Scotland. It is the oldest cathedral in mainland Scotland and the oldest building in Glasgow. The cathedral was the seat of the Archbishop ...
, where it follows the High Street
High Street is a common street name for the primary business street of a city, town, or village, especially in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. It implies that it is the focal point for business, especially shopping. It is also a metonym fo ...
and then the Saltmarket
The Saltmarket is a thoroughfare in the City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is a southward continuation of the High Street, running south from Glasgow Cross to the junction with Clyde Street and Crown Street by the River Clyde. It runs past the High Co ...
running north–south - meeting the A89 (Gallowgate) and the A749 (London Road) at Glasgow Cross
Glasgow Cross is at the hub of the ancient royal burgh and now city of Glasgow, Scotland, close to its first crossing over the River Clyde. As a major junction in the city centre, its five streets run: north up the High Street to Glasgow Cathed ...
. It splits for the complex one-way system, recombining prior to the junction at the start of the A814 that heads west along the Clyde Clyde may refer to:
People
* Clyde (given name)
* Clyde (surname)
Places
For townships see also Clyde Township
Australia
* Clyde, New South Wales
* Clyde, Victoria
* Clyde River, New South Wales
Canada
* Clyde, Alberta
* Clyde, Ontario, a tow ...
, before crossing the river near The Gorbals
The Gorbals is an area in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, on the south bank of the River Clyde. By the late 19th century, it had become densely populated; rural migrants and immigrants were attracted by the new industries and employment opportu ...
, where it meets the end of the A74.
From there the A8 leads out of town through Tradeston
Tradeston () is a small district in the Scottish city of Glasgow adjacent to the city centre on the south bank of the River Clyde.
Geography
Tradeston is bounded by the River Clyde to the north, the Glasgow to Paisley railway line to the so ...
, Kingston (passing under the M8's Kingston Bridge) Kinning Park
Kinning Park is a southern suburb of Glasgow, Scotland. It was formerly a separate police burgh between 1871 and 1905 before being absorbed by the city. In 1897, it had a population of 14,326.Govan Parish School Board, ''The Members' Year Book 1 ...
, Cessnock and Ibrox as Paisley Road West, changing to Edmiston Drive past Ibrox Stadium
Ibrox Stadium is a football stadium on the south side of the River Clyde in the Ibrox area of Glasgow, Scotland. The home of Rangers Football Club, Ibrox is the third largest football stadium in Scotland, with an all-seated capacity of .
O ...
, then through Drumoyne
Drumoyne ( gd, Druim Uaine) is now a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde and is part of the former Burgh of Govan.
It is the birthplace of Sir Alex Ferguson, manager of Manchester United football ...
and Shieldhall
Shieldhall is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated directly south of the River Clyde and is part of the wider Govan area.
Location and history
Taking its name from the country estate which occupied the territory until the ...
as Shieldhall Road, Braehead
Braehead ( sco, Braeheid, Gaelic: ''Ceann a' Bhruthaich'') is a commercial development located at the former site of Braehead Power Station in Renfrew on the south bank of the River Clyde in Renfrew, Renfrewshire. It is particularly notable ...
as Renfrew Road and the town centre of Renfrew
Renfrew (; sco, Renfrew; gd, Rinn Friù) is a town west of Glasgow in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It is the historic county town of Renfrewshire. Called the "Cradle of the Royal Stewarts" for its early link with Scotland's former ...
as Glasgow Road, Glebe Street and Inchinnan Road, passing to the rear of Glasgow Airport
gd, Port-adhair Eadar-nàiseanta Ghlaschu
, image = Glasgow Airport logo.svg
, image-width = 200
, image2 = GlasgowAirportFromAir.jpg
, image2-width = 250
, IATA = GLA
, ICAO = EGPF
, type = Public
, owner = AGS Airports
, hub =
*easy ...
at Inchinnan
Inchinnan (Scottish Gaelic: ''Innis Fhionghain'') is a small village in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The village is located on the main A8 road between Renfrew and Greenock, just south east of the town of Erskine.
History
The name of Inchinnan villa ...
, crossing over the M8 east of Bishopton and meeting it again at the motorway's western end, Junction 31 between Bishopton and Langbank
Langbank is a village on the south bank of the River Clyde in Renfrewshire, Scotland. It is 9.3 miles/15 km northwest from Paisley (Renfrewshire) and 3.4 miles/5.5 km east from Port Glasgow (Inverclyde) on the A8.
History
Langbank ev ...
.
The A8 becomes the primary route again and takes traffic through Port Glasgow
Port Glasgow ( gd, Port Ghlaschu, ) is the second-largest town in the Inverclyde council area of Scotland. The population according to the 1991 census for Port Glasgow was 19,426 persons and in the 2001 census was 16,617 persons. The most recen ...
. Its terminus is in Greenock at a large roundabout
A roundabout is a type of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junction.''The New Shorter Oxford En ...
with the A78 road
The A78 is an A road in Scotland. It connects Greenock and Prestwick on a route which follows the northern section of the Ayrshire coast.
Route
The A78 begins in Greenock, Renfrewshire as a continuation of the A8 road at the Bull Ring rounda ...
and the A770 to Gourock
Gourock ( ; gd, Guireag ) is a town in the Inverclyde council area and formerly a burgh of the County of Renfrew in the west of Scotland. It was a seaside resort on the East shore of the upper Firth of Clyde. Its main function today is as a r ...
, which was the former terminus of the A8.
Euroroute designations
Three short stretches of the A8 are part of three different Euroroute
The international E-road network is a numbering system for roads in Europe developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The network is numbered from E1 up and its roads ...
s, as follows:
* The stretch from the western end of the M8 into Greenock is part of the E05.
* Between M8 Junctions 6 and 7 is part of the E16.
* A very short stretch linking the A720
The Edinburgh City Bypass, designated as A720, is one of the most important trunk roads in Scotland. Circling around the south of Edinburgh, as the equivalent of a ring road for the coastal city, it links together the A1 towards north-east Eng ...
and A902 is part of the E15.
References
External links
A8 at ''Roader's Digest'' (SABRE)
SABRE - Map and photos of A8
Road to Nowhere - A8
{{DEFAULTSORT:8-0008
Roads in Scotland
Transport in Edinburgh
Transport in North Lanarkshire
Transport in Glasgow
Transport in Renfrewshire
Transport in Inverclyde
Greenock
Port Glasgow
Renfrew
Govan
Gorbals
Baillieston
Coatbridge
New Town, Edinburgh
Corstorphine