M8 motorway (Scotland) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids M8 motorway
Looking eastbound from Charing Cross
Route information
Part of E05 and E16
Maintained by Transport Scotland
Length	60.3 mi (97.0 km)
Existed	1965–present
History	Opened: 1965 Completed: 2017
Major junctions
East end	Sighthill 55°55′28″N 3°18′46″W / 55.9244°N 3.3128°W / 55.9244; -3.3128 (M8 motorway (eastern end))
	J2 → M9 motorway / J8 → M73 motorway/A8(M) motorway J13 → M80 motorway J21 → M74 motorway J22 → M77 motorway J30 → M898 motorway
West end	Langbank 55°55′24″N 4°33′01″W / 55.9234°N 4.5504°W / 55.9234; -4.5504 (M8 motorway (western end))
Location
Counties:	Edinburgh, West Lothian, North Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Renfrewshire
Primary destinations:	Edinburgh Edinburgh Airport Livingston Glasgow Paisley Glasgow Airport Greenock
Road network
Roads in the United Kingdom Motorways A and B road zones ← M6 Toll M9 →

The M8 is a very important motorway in Scotland. It connects Scotland's two biggest cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh. It is about 60 miles (96.5 km) long. This makes it one of the busiest roads in the country! It helps people travel quickly between the east and west of Scotland.

What are Motorway Junctions?

Motorway junctions are special places where you can join or leave the motorway. They are designed to keep traffic flowing smoothly and safely. Each junction has a number, like J1, J2, and so on. These numbers help drivers know where to exit for their destination.

The M8 has many junctions along its route. Some of these junctions connect to other major motorways. Others lead to towns, cities, or important places like airports.

Key M8 Junctions and What They Connect To

• Junction 1 (Hermiston Gait): This is the eastern end of the M8. It connects to the Edinburgh City Bypass (A720) and roads leading into Edinburgh city centre.
• Junction 2 (Newbridge): Here, you can connect to the M9 motorway. The M9 takes you towards Stirling and the Queensferry Crossing. It also provides access to Edinburgh Airport.
• Junction 3 (Livingston): This junction serves the large town of Livingston.
• Harthill Services: This is a rest stop located between Junction 4a and 5. It's a place where drivers can take a break, get food, and refuel their vehicles.
• Junction 8 (Baillieston): This is a very busy junction! It connects the M8 to the M73 motorway and the M74 motorway. The M74 goes south towards Carlisle, while the M73 helps connect to other parts of Glasgow.
• Junction 13 (Provan): This junction connects to the M80 motorway, which also goes towards Stirling.
• Junction 17 (Great Western Road): This junction leads to the A82, which takes you towards Dumbarton.
• Junction 18 (Charing Cross): This junction is right in the heart of Glasgow. It helps drivers get to the city centre.
• Junction 22 (Plantation): This junction connects to the M77 motorway. The M77 takes you south towards Kilmarnock and Prestwick Airport.
• Junction 28 (Glasgow Airport): This junction provides direct access to Glasgow Airport.
• Junction 30 (Erskine): This is near the western end of the M8. It connects to the M898 motorway, which leads to the Erskine Bridge.
• Junction 31 (West Ferry): This is the western end of the M8. The motorway ends here and becomes the A8 road, which continues towards Greenock.

History of the M8 Motorway

Building the M8 motorway was a huge project that took many years. The first part of the M8 opened in 1965. It was built in different sections over time. The entire motorway was finally completed in 2017. This means it took over 50 years to finish the whole road!

The M8 is an important part of Scotland's road network. It helps millions of people travel for work, holidays, and visiting family every year.

Images for kids

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  The M8 south of Broxburn

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  The Kingston Bridge, a famous part of the M8 in Glasgow

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  The M8 nearing its western end at Langbank, with views over the River Clyde

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  A sign at Junction 2 showing the speed limit

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  This unused road section in Glasgow is sometimes called the "ski-ramp". It was meant to be part of a larger road system that was never finished.