A726 road facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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A726 Strathaven Road, in East Kilbride
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| Route information | ||||
| Length | 27.3 mi (43.9 km) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| Southeast end | Strathaven / Darnley | |||
| Northwest end | Newton Mearns / Erskine | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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→The A726 is a major road in Scotland. It has different sections with unique features and names. Because it was built over time, it now has two separate parts. The first part runs from Strathaven in South Lanarkshire to the M77 motorway near Newton Mearns in East Renfrewshire. This section goes through East Kilbride. The second part runs from the M77 to the M898 motorway near the Erskine Bridge. This section passes through Paisley and near Glasgow International Airport.
Contents
Exploring the A726 Road
From Strathaven to East Kilbride
The first part of the A726 starts in Strathaven, a small market town in South Lanarkshire. It is called Glasgow Road here. It takes over from the A723 road. The A726 then heads north-west through open countryside. It passes the small village of Chapelton. Then it reaches the large town of East Kilbride.
This part of the road is a single lane in each direction. It has many types of vehicles, sharp turns, and is high up. This means it can be affected by bad weather. In 2014, this section of the road was noted for having many accidents.
When the road enters East Kilbride, it becomes Strathaven Road. It stays as a single lane until the Torrance Roundabout near Calderglen Country Park. In 2019, a big project started to make this section a dual carriageway (two lanes in each direction). This was done to help with the growing traffic from new homes in the south of East Kilbride.
The road then turns north-west. It has an exit for the Kelvin Industrial Estate and South Lanarkshire College. Next, it reaches a roundabout where it meets the A725. The A725 goes through the north of East Kilbride and connects to the M74 motorway.
At this point, the A726 becomes 'Queensway'. This is the main east-west road through East Kilbride. It continues west, passing several large roundabouts. These roundabouts provide exits to the town centre, Murray, Westwood, and West Mains neighbourhoods. There are also exits for Hairmyres Hospital and industrial areas.
The A726 then reaches the Philipshill Roundabout at Peel Park. Here, the A726 changes direction and becomes Redwood Road. This is the start of the Glasgow Southern Orbital Route, which was finished in 2005. The road that continues straight from East Kilbride is now called the A727.
The Glasgow Southern Orbital Route
The Southern Orbital is a modern dual carriageway. It runs through open countryside. It helps connect East Kilbride directly to the M77 motorway. This means traffic does not have to go through local roads in Newton Mearns.
A few hundred yards from its start, it has an exit for the B764 road. The road then gradually turns from south to west. It reaches the Belle Craig Roundabout, where it meets the B767. This road serves the villages of Waterfoot and Eaglesham.
About 2 miles (3 km) further, the Southern Orbital has an exit for Mearns Road, leading to Newton Mearns. It also has an entry/exit for the Maidenhill area. Finally, the road meets the M77 motorway at Junction 5. This junction was rebuilt when the Southern Orbital was completed. This part of the A726, along with the A725, is a key bypass for the Greater Glasgow area. It connects major motorways and towns south-east of the city.
Through Paisley and Renfrewshire
The second part of the A726 starts about 3.5 miles (5.5 km) north of where the first part ends. It begins as a continuation of the A727 at Junction 3 of the M77. This section of the motorway was completed in 1996.
This part of the A726 runs west as Nitshill Road. It is the only part of the road within the city of Glasgow. It passes through several neighbourhoods like Darnley and Nitshill. It also passes an entrance to the Dams to Darnley Country Park and Nitshill railway station. The road then leaves the city area after a junction with the A736. It continues to the south-eastern edge of Paisley.
In Paisley, the road becomes Barrhead Road and heads north-west. It has both single and dual carriageway sections. It passes areas like Hunterhill and Blackhall. The A726 then becomes Mill Street, going around the town centre. It crosses the White Cart Water river on the Hammills Bridge.
The road then turns north near Paisley Police Office. At St Mirin's Cathedral, the A726 turns west as Incle Street. It then splits before going under railway tracks near Paisley Gilmour Street railway station. The lanes merge again at St James Street.
While St James Street continues west, the A726 turns sharply north as Caledonia Street. It then becomes Greenock Road, heading north-west. It becomes a dual carriageway before passing under the A737. It then reaches the St James Interchange, which is Junction 29 of the M8 motorway. This interchange also provides access to the A737 and to Glasgow International Airport.
The A726 continues north of the interchange as Barnsford Road. This road runs around the western side of the airport. It then crosses the Black Cart Water river. It meets the A8 at Red Smiddy Roundabout.
The A726 then continues north to Erskine. It acts as a main road through the centre of the town. A roundabout serves the central shopping centre and Park Mains High School. North of Erskine, the road turns west. It finally ends at the roundabouts for the M898 motorway. This motorway connects to the Erskine Bridge across the River Clyde and to the M8 motorway. The road continues as the B815 into Bishopton.
