Motorway Database

Heading northbound through the Scottish Borders on the A74(M). The motorway is often noticeably bendier than most motorways, as much of it is an on-line upgrade of the old A74.
Photo by Steven Jukes

As the motorway progresses north, the terrain becomes quite mountainous. This enormous embankment is just after the border into Lanarkshire. One carriageway of the old A74, now B7076, runs parallel just below us here.
Photo by Steven Jukes

The mountainous route presents some problems that most motorways don't have to bother with - signs here warn that the road is "liable to icing". I'm quite partial to marzipan myself.
Photo by Steven Jukes

At Abington, the road to Edinburgh splits off and, as if by magic, a little blue sign to the left announces we have become the M74. The gore sign on the left unusually contains destinations as well as road numbers - but this appears to be standard on the M74 and A74(M).
Photo by Steven Jukes

Approaching the M73 (and watching your speed), it's fairly clear that the M73 is where the majority of traffic heads. From here onwards the M74 is very quiet and doesn't serve anything more than the south-eastern suburbs of Glasgow.
Photo by Steven Jukes

The three-level junction with the M73 includes this impressive steel support that straddles the middle-level sliproad.
Photo by Steven Jukes

A couple of junctions down the line, this is the southbound carriageway's starting point - an innocent looking exit from a quiet roundabout in south east Glasgow.
Photo by Steven Jukes

Heading up the sliproad, the road suddenly widens as we merge with an as yet non-existant motorway.
Photo by Steven Jukes

Was the A74(M) number a temporary measure because the road was meant to be renumbered M6 when complete? An "A74(M)" sticker that fell of this sign near junction 15 has rather obligingly provided the answer.
Photo by John Mullen

Further evidence of the intention to change the motorway to M6: this sign, at the exit from the retail development at Gretna (well inside Scotland), seems to think motorists are about to take the M6.
Photo by Steve Woolgar