Edinburgh traffic: Busy M8 slip-road at Livingston to close for five months due to roadworks in West Lothian

Drivers have been warned that closures on the M8 and the A899 could cause disruption.

Major roadworks will cause several road closures affecting motorists in West Lothian and Edinburgh over the next several months.

Here is everything you need to know:

The Livingston eastbound slip-road at Junction Three of the M8 will close for five months, starting from Monday, February 13. Drivers travelling to the West Lothian town will face disruption, as work is carried out to refurbish the bridge carrying the slip road. During the closure, traffic heading eastbound to Livingston will be directed to leave the M8 at Junction 3A. Drivers will be diverted via Carnegie Road, Deans Road and the A89 east, before entering Livingston by the A899 Livingston Road at Dechmont Roundabout. This will add around five minutes to journey times – however, longer delays should be expected during peak times.

The M8 Junction 3 slip-road into Livingston will be closed for five months.

The eastbound carriageway of the M8 will also close for five nights in March for resurfacing works. The road will shut between 8.30pm and 6am, from Monday, March 6 and Saturday, March 11. During this closure, motorists will be diverted from M8 Junction 3A, along Carnegie Road, Deans Road and the A89. This diversion will add an estimated 12 minutes to journeys. Traffic heading westbound on the M8 will be unaffected by the roadworks.

Overnight closures on the A899, which passes underneath the bridge, are also planned. The northbound carriageway of the road will be closed between 8pm and 6am on Wednesday, March 8 and Thursday, March 9, while the southbound carriageway will be shut on Friday, March 10 and Monday, March 13. When the northbound A899 is shut, traffic will be re-routed off the A899 at the Houston Interchange via Houston Road, Deans Road and the A89. During southbound closures, drivers will be diverted via the A89, Deans Road and Houston Road will be in place. These diversions will add around seven minutes to journeys.

‘Major investment’

Tommy Deans, BEAR Scotland’s South East Network Manager, said: “This programme of improvements represents a major investment by Transport Scotland to refurbish and upgrade the trunk road network around Livingston. We’ve coordinated the works to minimise the overall impact on road users and local communities.

“We don’t take the decision to close roads lightly, however it is necessary to ensure the safety of the workforce and road users alike. The diversion routes will be clearly signposted to ease the flow of traffic and ensure ongoing access to Livingston.

“Surfacing improvements on the eastbound M8 will address areas of deteriorated carriageway over 1.3 kilometres of the motorway, creating smoother and safer journeys for road users. These works will also see the renewal of all road markings and studs, providing a higher retro-reflectivity and improving the visibility of lane delineations.

“We thank road users in advance for their patience while our teams carry out these essential improvements. Our advice is to plan ahead and allow extra time for your journey if you need to travel through M8 Junction 3 during this period.”