A8 - A725
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Ordnance Survey map Alternative aerial view
Where is it?
On the A8, part of the Glasgow to Edinburgh trunk road, where a shortcut between the M74 south and A8 east connects.
It was spotted by Martin Spiers.
What's wrong with it?
Look at the picture. Do I need to say more?
Oh, okay then. Where do I start? The A725 from the south, a grade-separated dual carriageway, merges with a B-road to form a single carriageway road. The B-road forms a right-hand entry and exit. The A725 from the north is dualled until this junction, but gives up. The flyover connecting the two halves is single carriageway. The sliproads connecting to the A8 are also single carriageway, and have the kind of corners you would associate with a mountain pass. There's more but I think you get the idea.
Why is it wrong?
I think that's obvious too. This part of the A8 was dualled and grade-separated in the early 1960s, and back then a tiny junction with narrow, sharply curved sliproads was probably fine.
The problem is that since then, every improvement that has been made to the roads approaching this junction has failed to do anything about it. A grade-separated dual carriageway plugs into the south and just gives up, leaving its traffic to fight through two horrible junctions to get onto the A8 eastbound. A complete shortage, in other words, of joined-up planning.
What would be better?
The death penalty for anyone who designs a junction like this.
Right to reply
Hate this junction? Or do you think it hasn't had a fair trial? Make yourself heard! Post a comment.
These are the most recent comments on this junction. You can see all comments if you prefer.
An anonymous contributor writes:
This was originally in Transport Scotland's plan for upgrading after the M74/A725 (south end) Raith Interchange project, but all mention of that project has disappeared from the public documents... The plan was: 1) A725 south end (Raith); 2) A725 north end; M8 road charging.
They've installed the ANPR cameras all along the M8 but, like I say, all mention of the intermediate project on this junction has gone. Maybe, when the Raith interchange is finished in 2012/2013, we'll be moving to road pricing. General populace hasn't realised that this is coming.
Harvie Milligan has an update on the new traffic lights:
The lights were finally switched on in September, well over a year since the work began and around 6 months since being first installed. I queried the delay with Transport Scotland in August, and received a reply from Graham Dick, Liaison Officer of Amey (who have the local trunk road maintenance contract) stating:
"Although civil and electrical engineering aspects of the traffic signal installation were, as you note, completed several weeks ago, a pre-commissioning Safety Inspection identified serious concerns in relation to the speed of traffic and forward visibility to the signals. Attempts to resolve this with additional warning signs and realignment of the signal heads were not successful and we had no alternative but to undertake additional earthworks. Our own design work is complete and the specialist works are currently out to tender. Subject to no further difficulties being encountered, we expect that the signals will finally be commissioned by October. Although the delay in completing the project is regretted, I am sure you will appreciate that safety must take precedence."
One would have thought that that sort of thing would have been worked out before the project began, but this is a British road project so needless to say... They eventually dug the embankment away to the left of the A725 so that traffic approaching the lights can see them from further back. I wonder why an overhead gantry-type traffic light couldn't have been used? Anyway, I have to finish by saying that the new layout seems to be working, as the queues at the junction are (so far) virtually non-existent, and even if stopped by the lights it's still much quicker to get through.
Alistair Stewart has an alternative plan:
I think that this interchange with the A8 is terrible. The southbound A725 is made to go round and under the B7070. That is part of the reason I hate it. There is also a fifth sliproad at this junction from A8 Westbound to A725 Southbound. It should be that the B7070 should been terminated on the A725 at a T Junction, and the main interchange becomes a Roundabout Interchange.
Karen is at the end of her tether:
I have the 'joy' of having to negotiate the A8-A725 junction every day! Not the most pleasant of experiences: so many people have no idea what lane to be in or indeed how to move from lane to lane. Those little orange things at the front and back and on the wings of most cars are called indicators and should be used to, as the name suggests, indicate which direction you intend to travel! There is so much chopping and changing done it makes you dizzy watching it.
Gavin Spence has an update:
This junction has been changed to traffic lights on the approach from the south. Instead of the A725 being put down to one lane as you come up on the merge they have put traffic lights on the A725 and the B-road and you can now use the two lanes through the junction. This gives capacity back and stops the fighting to merge on the approach. About time someone with some thought applied a litle common sense. Shame it's being ripped apart soon anyway.
