M73

Running from Uddingston to Mollinsburn, and in the process linking the M74, M8 and M80, the M73 is a short road with a very important purpose.

It distributes traffic between three of Glasgow's most important approaches, and also provides a key link in the north-south drive through Scotland's central belt. Its main purpose is to help people avoid Glasgow. Thirty years ago this was an act of mercy, but now - thanks to the resurgence of Scotland's biggest city - it seems a bit harsh, and the M73 probably doesn't get invited to as many parties as it used to.

The M73 was here before almost all the roads it now connects to: opening in 1972 along with the section of M74 east of there, it originally met the A8 (which passed through a roundabout underneath it) and finished on the A80. It was only in about 1980 that the M8 arrived, bringing a much larger interchange; the early 1990s saw the M74 extended west (though it still didn't really go anywhere for almost another twenty years), and it was 2011 before the M80 arrived to finish off the northern terminus. If nothing else, you have to admire the M73's patience.

Scotland's motorway numbers are very easy to use (especially in comparison to the bizarre English system for allocating them): a motorway takes its number from the A-road it relieves. So M8 follows A8, M77 replaces A77, and so on. The M73 is, unfortunately, the odd one out: it doesn't directly replace any A-road. So it takes its number from A73, which is also a north-south road lying east of Glasgow, but which is in all honesty unrelated to this road in every way.

For thirty years, the M73 had only three junctions, at the M74, M8 and A80. Now it has a new local access near Gartcosh, which sounds like it should be a mild exclamation, as in "oh, Gartcosh! We're on the M73 and we'll have to miss out on the rejuvenated and vibrant city of Glasgow".

Start

Maryville

End

Mollinsburn

Passes

Glasgow

Connects to
Length

7 miles

Click a section name to see its full details, or click a map symbol on the right to see all motorways opened in that year.

Completed Name Start End
Maryville - Baillieston J1 Maryville J2 Baillieston Chronology map for 1971
Baillieston - Mollinsburn J2 Baillieston J3 Mollinsburn Chronology map for 1972

Exit list

Symbols and conventions are explained in the key to exit lists. You can click any junction to see its full details.

Junction   Northbound               Southbound  
3 Cumbernauld
Stirling
M80 Link
Moodiesburn
Stepps
A80
Glasgow (M80 Link)







M80



A80
NORTH




M80
N/A
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
LanesLanesLanesLanes
LanesLanesLanesLanes
2 miles, 2 lanes 2 miles, 2 lanes
2A Glenboig
Muirhead
(A752)
(A752)
(B804)
Glenboig
Coatbridge
(A752, B804)
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
3 miles, 2 lanes 3 miles, 2 lanes
2 Glasgow (Cen)
M8 Link
Edinburgh
M8 Link
Glasgow (E)
A8(M) Link


M8
A8
A8(M)
A8

M8


Edinburgh
M8 Link
Glasgow (E)
A8(M) Link
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
2 miles, 4 lanes 2 miles, 4 lanes
1 N/A A721


M74





SOUTH
A721


M74



The SOUTH
Carlisle
M74 Link
Glasgow (SE)
M74 Link
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
Routes
M73

Picture credits

In this section

What's new

Oxford's Ground Zero

Oxford's Zero Emission Zone is just a trial, but transport policy in Oxford has become the catalyst for pitched battles and drawn in protestors from across the UK. What's happening to this genteel university town?

2023 end of year message

It’s been a quiet year for Roads.org.uk, but we will be back to our usual schedule soon.

London’s other forgotten motorways

We’ve spent years documenting the unbuilt urban motorway network planned for London. Today we’re unveiling more new routes that have never been seen before!

Share this page

Have you seen...

Three Generations of the A82

Three roads were built in the space of 200 years, all trying to tame Rannoch Moor and Glen Coe. This is the impressive tale of one of Scotland's most memorable routes.

About this page

Published

Last updated