M74 motorway
Encyclopedia
The A74 and M74 motorways form a major motorway in Scotland
. Following an extension opened on 28 June 2011, it connects the M8 motorway west of Glasgow to the English border
at Gretna, creating an alternative route for traffic moving from the south to the west of the city. In conjunction with the M6 motorway
, it forms one of the two major cross-border routes between Scotland and England. It is part of the unsigned international E-road network
E05. Although the entire route is usually referred to as the M74, more than half of its length is officially designated as the A74(M); see naming confusion below.
, the newest section of this motorway passes through the Glasgow districts of Govanhill
, Polmadie
, Oatlands
and parts of the nearby towns of Rutherglen
and Cambuslang
on an elevated embankment with junctions at Kingston, Polmadie Road, Cambuslang and Tollcross before connecting to the pre-existing M74.
It then runs in a roughly south-easterly direction past the Clyde Valley
towns of Bothwell
, Hamilton
and Motherwell before meeting the cross-country A71
at Larkhall
. It passes west of Lanark
and beyond Abington
, where it changes into the A74(M) and then goes to Moffat
and Lockerbie
, before connecting to the M6 in an end-on connection.
The M74 (from Junction 4 southwards) and the A74(M) are part of the E05
Euroroute which runs from Greenock
to Algeciras
. North from Junction 4, the E05 takes a short stretch of the M73
connecting to the M8 and then proceeds westwards through Glasgow to Greenock; and southwards continues on the M6
through England.
In the 1930s the single carriageway A74 road between Gretna and Glasgow
was progressively upgraded to dual carriageway, being completed in the early 1970s with the completion of the Gretna bypass.
However, at the northern end of the route, it was not possible simply to add to the existing carriageway because of the built-up nature of the area. A new bypass was built in the 1960s, and was constructed as one of Scotland's first motorways, the M74. The motorway was constructed from Draffan to Maryville, North of Uddingston and completed by 1969. Junctions were originally numbered South -> North, as there were plans to extend the M74 northwards at a later stage. This did not happen for many decades.
The northern section of M74 around Hamilton was built as 3 lane dual carriageway, narrowing to 2 lane dual carriageway south of today's Junction 6. The M74 then met the dual carriageway A74 at Draffan and carried on to Carlisle.
from Rugby (where it met the M1 to London) to Carlisle in 1970, where it terminated on the A74, meant that the route from Glasgow to London was entirely dual carriageway.
This lead to calls for the already dualled A74 from Draffan to Carlisle (M6) to be upgraded a second time, to motorway standard. As the government had already invested in the dual carriageway upgrade, they initially resisted these calls. However, in 1972 the Government agreed to extend the M74 from its current terminus at Draffan, eventually to today's J12 at Millbank. It was built in 3 sections, opening 1986-87. It was constructed to dual 2 lane standard, and included a bypass of Lesmahagow
. As it was a direct continuation, it opened as M74 however the junction numbers were switched to go from north -> south following the upgrade (Draffan was originally junction 1).
said that "We have no current plans to rename or redesignate the M74 or A74(M) motorways between Glasgow and the border as the M6". The current Scottish Government have not commented further on the matter.
football ground.
The city centre section of this motorway is supposed to perform a similar role to the never-built southern flank of the Glasgow Inner Ring Road
planned in the 1960s, and first set out as a scheme in the Bruce Report
of the 1940s, but only half-completed. The scheme was at the centre of a road protest
from local campaigners and environmentalists; their appeal against the road orders collapsed in June 2006. Alex Salmond
officially launched the construction work on 28 May 2008.
The project, initially expected to cost £444 million, ran considerably over-budget at £692 million. There was a £12 million allowance for grouting
of old mine workings.
interchange with the M80 motorway
began in 2008 with completion expected in 2011. It will make use of existing stretches of road and filler sections on currently derelict land.
services). As the motorway is one continuous route and has a continuous junction numbering system, its entirety is usually erroneously referred to as M74. Typically, upgraded A-road designations like A74(M) are retained for short bypasses of existing road, whereas the M74/A74(M) is one continuous intercity route.
When the A74(M) was constructed in the 1990s, many of the signs were given patches with the A74(M) number on: these patches can be peeled away to reveal "M6" underneath. One such sign, which can be seen at the VOSA checkpoint just past the Crawford/Thornhill on-slip, states that it is the "M6 South" instead of the "A74 (M)" South.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Following an extension opened on 28 June 2011, it connects the M8 motorway west of Glasgow to the English border
Anglo-Scottish border
The Anglo-Scottish border is the official border and mark of entry between Scotland and England. It runs for 154 km between the River Tweed on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. It is Scotland's only land border...
at Gretna, creating an alternative route for traffic moving from the south to the west of the city. In conjunction with the M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
, it forms one of the two major cross-border routes between Scotland and England. It is part of the unsigned international E-road network
International E-road network
The international E-road network is a numbering system for roads in Europe developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe . The network is numbered from E 1 up and its roads cross national borders...
E05. Although the entire route is usually referred to as the M74, more than half of its length is officially designated as the A74(M); see naming confusion below.
Route
From its junction with the M8 just south of of the Kingston BridgeKingston Bridge, Glasgow
The Kingston Bridge is a balanced cantilever dual-span ten lane road bridge made of triple-cell segmented prestressed concrete box girders crossing the River Clyde in Glasgow, Scotland. The largest urban bridge in the United Kingdom, it carries the M8 motorway through the city centre...
, the newest section of this motorway passes through the Glasgow districts of Govanhill
Govanhill
Govanhill is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde between the Gorbals, Mount Florida and Queen's Park...
, Polmadie
Polmadie
Polmadie is a district of Glasgow, a city in Scotland. Polmadie is situated south of the River Clyde, and adjacent to the Gorbals....
, Oatlands
Oatlands, Glasgow
Oatlands is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde. Until recently, the area was characterised by four-storey sandstone tenements built at the end of the 19th century and the start of the 20th...
and parts of the nearby towns of Rutherglen
Rutherglen
Rutherglen is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. In 1975, it lost its own local council and administratively became a component of the City of Glasgow. In 1996 Rutherglen was reallocated to the South Lanarkshire council area.-History:...
and Cambuslang
Cambuslang
Cambuslang is a suburban town on the south-eastern outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland. It is within the local authority area of South Lanarkshire. Historically, it was a large rural Parish incorporating nearby hamlets of Newton, Flemington, and Halfway. It is known as "the largest village in...
on an elevated embankment with junctions at Kingston, Polmadie Road, Cambuslang and Tollcross before connecting to the pre-existing M74.
It then runs in a roughly south-easterly direction past the Clyde Valley
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
towns of Bothwell
Bothwell
Bothwell is a small town in the South Lanarkshire council area of Scotland. It lies on the north bank of the River Clyde, adjacent to Uddingston and Hamilton, nine miles east-south-east of Glasgow city centre....
, Hamilton
Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It is the fifth-biggest town in Scotland after Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston and Cumbernauld...
and Motherwell before meeting the cross-country A71
A71 road
The A71 is a major road in Scotland linking Edinburgh with Lanarkshire and Ayrshire. It adjoins the Livingston Bypass A899.It runs south west from Edinburgh for approximately 70 miles, through Saughton, Wilkieston and south of Livingston, Whitburn and Wishaw, then by way of the Garrion Bridge,...
at Larkhall
Larkhall
Larkhall is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland and is around southeast of Glasgow. It is twinned with Seclin in northern France.Larkhall sits on high ground between the River Clyde to the East and the Avon Water to the West...
. It passes west of Lanark
Lanark
Lanark is a small town in the central belt of Scotland. Its population of 8,253 makes it the 100th largest settlement in Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric Lanerc meaning "clear space, glade"....
and beyond Abington
Abington, South Lanarkshire
Abington is a village in the Scottish council region of South Lanarkshire,close to the M74 motorway, marking the point where it changes name to the A74, following the upgrade of the former A74 road. The West Coast Main Line between Glasgow and London also emerges from the Clyde Valley at this...
, where it changes into the A74(M) and then goes to Moffat
Moffat
Moffat is a former burgh and spa town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, lying on the River Annan, with a population of around 2,500. The most notable building in the town is the Moffat House Hotel, designed by John Adam...
and Lockerbie
Lockerbie
Lockerbie is a town in the Dumfries and Galloway region of south-western Scotland. It lies approximately from Glasgow, and from the English border. It had a population of 4,009 at the 2001 census...
, before connecting to the M6 in an end-on connection.
The M74 (from Junction 4 southwards) and the A74(M) are part of the E05
E05 (E-road)
The European route E 05 is part of the United Nations international E-road network. It is the westernmost north-south "reference road", running from Greenock, Scotland south through France to Algeciras, Spain....
Euroroute which runs from Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
to Algeciras
Algeciras
Algeciras is a port city in the south of Spain, and is the largest city on the Bay of Gibraltar . Port of Algeciras is one of the largest ports in Europe and in the world in three categories: container,...
. North from Junction 4, the E05 takes a short stretch of the M73
M73 motorway
The M73 is a motorway in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is long and connects the M74 motorway with the M80 motorway, providing an eastern bypass for Glasgow. The short stretch between Junctions 1 and 2 is part of unsigned international E-road network E05, where it continues along the M8 through...
connecting to the M8 and then proceeds westwards through Glasgow to Greenock; and southwards continues on the M6
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
through England.
The original M74 - 1960s
The A74 was the original route from Glasgow to Gretna, where it met the A6, which was a continuation of the route south to London.In the 1930s the single carriageway A74 road between Gretna and Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
was progressively upgraded to dual carriageway, being completed in the early 1970s with the completion of the Gretna bypass.
However, at the northern end of the route, it was not possible simply to add to the existing carriageway because of the built-up nature of the area. A new bypass was built in the 1960s, and was constructed as one of Scotland's first motorways, the M74. The motorway was constructed from Draffan to Maryville, North of Uddingston and completed by 1969. Junctions were originally numbered South -> North, as there were plans to extend the M74 northwards at a later stage. This did not happen for many decades.
The northern section of M74 around Hamilton was built as 3 lane dual carriageway, narrowing to 2 lane dual carriageway south of today's Junction 6. The M74 then met the dual carriageway A74 at Draffan and carried on to Carlisle.
First southward extension (1972-1987)
As previously mentioned, the southern sections of A74, where there was no need to bypass the existing route, were not originally upgraded to motorway standard, but to dual carriageway- without hard shoulders or full grade separation. The gradual construction of the M6M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
from Rugby (where it met the M1 to London) to Carlisle in 1970, where it terminated on the A74, meant that the route from Glasgow to London was entirely dual carriageway.
This lead to calls for the already dualled A74 from Draffan to Carlisle (M6) to be upgraded a second time, to motorway standard. As the government had already invested in the dual carriageway upgrade, they initially resisted these calls. However, in 1972 the Government agreed to extend the M74 from its current terminus at Draffan, eventually to today's J12 at Millbank. It was built in 3 sections, opening 1986-87. It was constructed to dual 2 lane standard, and included a bypass of Lesmahagow
Lesmahagow
Lesmahagow is a small town on the edge of moorland, near Lanark in the central belt of Scotland. It is also known as Abbey Green.-Etymology:The name is possibly a corruption of "Church of St Machutus"...
. As it was a direct continuation, it opened as M74 however the junction numbers were switched to go from north -> south following the upgrade (Draffan was originally junction 1).
1990s extension to Scottish Border (1992 - 1999), and confused identity
In 1987, the Conservative government committed to upgrading the remaining A74 from M74 J12 to the M6 at Carlisle to motorway standard. When the first section opened, as far south as Abington (J12-J13) in 1991, it was numbered M74. Following this, the government announced that the completed route would take the M6 number, as the two motorways would meet head on at Carlisle. The Scottish section of the A74 was then upgraded in sections, these were not all contiguous with each other, and were signed A74(M) - a temporary number until all the sections were complete, and the 8 mile English section had been constructed and connected to the M6. They were constructed with dual 3 lane carriageways. In 1995 the first northern extension also occurred, to Fullerton road in Glasgow, it was signed as M74. The Scottish A74 upgrades were complete by 1999. This left an anomaly - The M74 began at Glasgow, then at J13 arbitrarily changed its number to A74(M) which it kept for 40 miles to the border. Meanwhile, the English 8 mile section of A74 was not upgraded due to lack of funds, leaving the "Cumberland Gap" of 8 miles of sub standard dual carriageway between 2 three lane motorways. Until around 1996, the change of designation to M6 once the Cumberland Gap had been closed was definite. When the Scottish Executive was established in 1999, taking over responsibility for roads in Scotland, Sarah BoyackSarah Boyack
Sarah Boyack MSP is a Scottish Labour MSP for the Lothian region and formerly constituency MSP for Edinburgh Central in the Scottish Parliament....
said that "We have no current plans to rename or redesignate the M74 or A74(M) motorways between Glasgow and the border as the M6". The current Scottish Government have not commented further on the matter.
M6 Carlisle - Guards Mill (2004-2008)
Plans to upgrade the English section of A74 (Cumberland Gap) from the Scottish border at Gretna to Carlisle were announced in 2004. Costing £174m, this was constructed as M6 as originally planned in the 1990s, and was opened on 5 December 2008.. This means that there is now a complete motorway from Rugby to Glasgow, with three numbers (M6, A74(M) and M74).M74 northern extension to M8 (2008-2011)
Construction work on the six lane M74 Northern Extension (M74 Completion) to extend the M74 northwards by 5 miles (8 km) through the south-eastern Glasgow to meet the M8 started in 2008 with opening on 28th June 2011. The extension involved the demolition of the Rosebery ParkRosebery Park
Rosebery Park was a football ground in the Oatlands district of Glasgow, Scotland, which was demolished as a result of the M74 motorway extension...
football ground.
The city centre section of this motorway is supposed to perform a similar role to the never-built southern flank of the Glasgow Inner Ring Road
Glasgow Inner Ring Road
The Glasgow Inner Ring Road was a proposed ring road encircling the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland. Construction of the roads began in 1965, and half of its circumference was completed by 1972, but no subsequent construction was made and the remaining plans were formally abandoned in 1980...
planned in the 1960s, and first set out as a scheme in the Bruce Report
Bruce Report
The Bruce Report is the name commonly given to two urban redevelopment reports of the Glasgow Corporation ....
of the 1940s, but only half-completed. The scheme was at the centre of a road protest
Road protest (UK)
Road protest in the United Kingdom usually occurs as a reaction to a stated intention by the empowered authorities to build a new road, or to modify an existing road. Protests may also be made by those wishing to see new roads built or improvements made to existing roads. Motivations for protests...
from local campaigners and environmentalists; their appeal against the road orders collapsed in June 2006. Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
officially launched the construction work on 28 May 2008.
The project, initially expected to cost £444 million, ran considerably over-budget at £692 million. There was a £12 million allowance for grouting
Grout curtain
Grout curtains are barriers that protect a dam from seepage and can be used in initial construction or repair. Additionally, they can be used to strengthen foundations and contain spills.-Characteristics:...
of old mine workings.
East End Regeneration Route
Construction of the East End Regeneration Route which will connect the M74 Northern Extensions with the M8 motorway at the Provan Gas WorksProvan Gas Works
Provan Gas Works is an industrial gas holding plant in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. The plant is in the Provanmill area of the city, and was built by Glasgow Corporation between 1900 and 1904...
interchange with the M80 motorway
M80 motorway
The M80 is a motorway in central Scotland, running through Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Falkirk and Stirling and links the M8, the M73 and M9 motorways. Following completion in 2011, this road is long. From 1992 - 2011, the road was in two sections; the southern section, Glasgow to Stepps and the...
began in 2008 with completion expected in 2011. It will make use of existing stretches of road and filler sections on currently derelict land.
Naming confusion
The motorway is usually referred to in public as the M74 motorway, but south of Abington, the road is really the A74(M) motorway, noted on each sign in this southern section of the road (save for one erroneous "M74" sign at Gretna GreenGretna Green
Gretna Green is a village in the south of Scotland famous for runaway weddings. It is in Dumfries and Galloway, near the mouth of the River Esk and was historically the first village in Scotland, following the old coaching route from London to Edinburgh. Gretna Green has a railway station serving...
services). As the motorway is one continuous route and has a continuous junction numbering system, its entirety is usually erroneously referred to as M74. Typically, upgraded A-road designations like A74(M) are retained for short bypasses of existing road, whereas the M74/A74(M) is one continuous intercity route.
When the A74(M) was constructed in the 1990s, many of the signs were given patches with the A74(M) number on: these patches can be peeled away to reveal "M6" underneath. One such sign, which can be seen at the VOSA checkpoint just past the Crawford/Thornhill on-slip, states that it is the "M6 South" instead of the "A74 (M)" South.
Junction re-numbering
Following the building of the original section of the M74, the motorway was numbered south-to-north, with Draffan being junction 1 and Maryville junction 6. When the M74 was extended south of Draffan in the late 1980s, it was renumbered north-to-south. Raith remained as J5, while Maryville became J4, allowing for later extension towards Glasgow. The original junction 1 at Draffan was closed, with a new junction 9 (Kirkmuirhill) replacing it, utilising the southbound carriageway of the old A74 as a slip-road. The remains of the semi-circular access road to the southbound carriageway is still visible at Draffan Road, with the Blackwood sliproad now used as an access road to new housing. In preparation for the extension to meet the M8 south of the Kingston Bridge, junctions 1-3 have been renumbered 2A,3, and 3A in order to accommodate the new junctions.Junctions
| M74 Motorway | ||
| Northbound exits | Junction | Southbound exits |
| Glasgow Airport Glasgow Airport Glasgow Airport may refer to:*Glasgow International Airport, in Renfrewshire, the primary airport serving Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.*Glasgow Airport , also known as Wokal Field, in Glasgow, Montana, United States.It may also refer to:... M8 Kilmarnock Kilmarnock Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'... M77 M77 motorway The M77 motorway is a motorway in Scotland. It originally began in southern Glasgow at the M8 motorway at Kinning park, and terminates near Kilmarnock at the village of Fenwick. However, changes were made in autumn 2005 segregating a lane on the M8 motorway almost as far as the Kingston Bridge,... |
Start of Motorway | |
| Tradeston Tradeston Tradeston is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow adjacent to the city centre on the south bank of the River Clyde.-Geography:Tradeston is bounded by the River Clyde to the north, the Glasgow to Paisley railway line on the east and south and the Kingston Bridge and M8 motorway to the west... Kinning Park Kinning Park Kinning Park is a southern suburb of Glasgow, Scotland. In 1897 it had a population of 14326.-Political history:Originally a separate police burgh founded in 1871, it became part of Glasgow in 1905. It was the smallest such burgh in Scotland at just... |
J1 | Tradeston Kinning Park |
| Polmadie Polmadie Polmadie is a district of Glasgow, a city in Scotland. Polmadie is situated south of the River Clyde, and adjacent to the Gorbals.... B763 Rutherglen Rutherglen Rutherglen is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. In 1975, it lost its own local council and administratively became a component of the City of Glasgow. In 1996 Rutherglen was reallocated to the South Lanarkshire council area.-History:... (A730) |
J1A | Polmadie B763 Rutherglen (A730) |
| Rutherglen, Cambuslang Cambuslang Cambuslang is a suburban town on the south-eastern outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland. It is within the local authority area of South Lanarkshire. Historically, it was a large rural Parish incorporating nearby hamlets of Newton, Flemington, and Halfway. It is known as "the largest village in... A724 |
J2 | Rutherglen, Cambuslang A724 |
| Tollcross Tollcross, Glasgow Tollcross is an area north of the River Clyde in Glasgow and has a popular park which is famed for its international rose trials. It lies approximately a mile east of the neighbouring suburb of Parkhead, and just north of Braidfauld and south of Shettleston.... , Rutherglen A74 A74 road The A74 was a major trunk road in the United Kingdom, linking Glasgow in Scotland to Carlisle in the North West of England. The road has been largely replaced by the A74 and M74 motorways and now only one short stub remains.... |
J2A | Tollcross Cambuslang A74 |
| Shettleston Shettleston Shettleston is a district in the east end of Glasgow in Scotland. Like many of the city's districts, Shettleston was originally a small village on its outer edge. Today Shettleston lies between the neighbouring districts of Parkhead to the west, and Baillieston to the east, and is about 2 and a... , Cambuslang Cambuslang Cambuslang is a suburban town on the south-eastern outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland. It is within the local authority area of South Lanarkshire. Historically, it was a large rural Parish incorporating nearby hamlets of Newton, Flemington, and Halfway. It is known as "the largest village in... A763 |
J3 | No access |
| No access | J3A | Tannochside Tannochside Tannochside is an area of Uddingston and is located approximately 8 miles south-east of Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Although considered part of Uddingston, it lies within a separate local authority area... , Uddingston Uddingston Uddingston is a small town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is on the north side of the River Clyde, about seven miles south-east of Glasgow... A721 |
| Stirling Stirling Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth... , Kincardine Bridge Kincardine Bridge The Kincardine Bridge is a road bridge crossing the Firth of Forth from Falkirk council area to Kincardine-on-Forth, Fife, Scotland.-History:The bridge was constructed between 1932 and 1936, designed by Donald Watson... M73 M73 motorway The M73 is a motorway in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is long and connects the M74 motorway with the M80 motorway, providing an eastern bypass for Glasgow. The short stretch between Junctions 1 and 2 is part of unsigned international E-road network E05, where it continues along the M8 through... Uddingston, Mount Vernon Mount Vernon, Glasgow Mount Vernon is a residential area in the east end of the City of Glasgow, Scotland.-History:The area was originally part of the Parish of Old Monkland, and also of the Barony and Regality of Glasgow... A721 |
J4 | Stirling, Kincardine Bridge, Edinburgh M73 |
| Bothwell services Bothwell services Bothwell services is a motorway service station near the small town of Bothwell, Scotland. The service station is located next to the M74 motorway between junctions 4 and 5 and may be accessed in the southbound direction only. It is owned by RoadChef.... Southbound only |
||
| Bellshill Bellshill Bellshill is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, 10 miles south east of Glasgow city centre and 37 miles west of Edinburgh. Other nearby towns are Motherwell , Hamilton and Coatbridge . Since 1996, it has been situated in the Greater Glasgow metropolitan area... , Coatbridge Coatbridge Coatbridge is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, about east of Glasgow city centre, set in the central Lowlands. The town, with neighbouring Airdrie, is part of the Greater Glasgow urban area. The first settlement of the area stretches back to the Stone Age era... , East Kilbride East Kilbride East Kilbride is a large suburban town in the South Lanarkshire council area, in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland. Designated as Scotland's first new town in 1947, it forms part of the Greater Glasgow conurbation... , Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area... A725 |
J5 | Bellshill, Coatbridge, East Kilbride, Edinburgh A725 |
| Hamilton services Hamilton services Hamilton services is a motorway service station near the town of Hamilton, Scotland. The service station is located next to the M74 motorway between junctions 6 and 5 and may be accessed in the northbound direction only. It is owned by RoadChef.-Facilities:... Northbound only |
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| Hamilton Hamilton, South Lanarkshire Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It is the fifth-biggest town in Scotland after Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston and Cumbernauld... , Motherwell A723 |
J6 | Motherwell, Hamilton A723 |
| No access | J7 | Lanark Lanark Lanark is a small town in the central belt of Scotland. Its population of 8,253 makes it the 100th largest settlement in Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric Lanerc meaning "clear space, glade".... , Larkhall Larkhall Larkhall is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland and is around southeast of Glasgow. It is twinned with Seclin in northern France.Larkhall sits on high ground between the River Clyde to the East and the Avon Water to the West... A72 A72 road The A72 is a major route in Scotland connecting Hamilton in South Lanarkshire, with Galashiels in the Scottish Borders.It travels for over 60 miles in a South-Easterly direction, along the Clyde and Tweed valleys, passing the towns of Larkhall, Lanark, Biggar and Peebles.-Hamilton to... |
| Kilmarnock Kilmarnock Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'... , Edinburgh A71 A71 road The A71 is a major road in Scotland linking Edinburgh with Lanarkshire and Ayrshire. It adjoins the Livingston Bypass A899.It runs south west from Edinburgh for approximately 70 miles, through Saughton, Wilkieston and south of Livingston, Whitburn and Wishaw, then by way of the Garrion Bridge,... Larkhall Larkhall Larkhall is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland and is around southeast of Glasgow. It is twinned with Seclin in northern France.Larkhall sits on high ground between the River Clyde to the East and the Avon Water to the West... B7078 |
J8 | Kilmarnock, Edinburgh A71 |
| No access | J9 | Kirkmuirhill Kirkmuirhill Kirkmuirhill is a village in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It borders Blackwood, near Lanark and is sited near Junction 9 of the M74 motorway. Its postal sector is ML11 9. There is a single primary school Bent Primary on the outskirts of the village, but a large proportion of pupils also attend... , Blackwood Blackwood, South Lanarkshire Blackwood is a village which borders Kirkmuirhill, near Lanark in the central belt of Scotland. It has a few small shops, a couple of primary schools and pubs.... , Lesmahagow Lesmahagow Lesmahagow is a small town on the edge of moorland, near Lanark in the central belt of Scotland. It is also known as Abbey Green.-Etymology:The name is possibly a corruption of "Church of St Machutus"... , Coalburn B7078 |
| Lesmahagow, Kirkmuirhill, Blackwood B7078 | J10 | No Access |
| No access | J11 | Edinburgh, Ayr Ayr Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205... B7078 (A70 A70 road The A70 road is a major road in Scotland, United Kingdom. It runs a total of from Edinburgh to Ayr. It begins in Gorgie, Edinburgh, as Ardmillan Terrace from a junction with the A71 and ends as Holmston Road in Ayr going by but not through Lanark... ) Happendon (Cairn Lodge) Services |
| Edinburgh, Ayr A70 Happendon (Cairn Lodge) Services |
J12 | No access |
| Road continues as M74 | J13 | Edinburgh A702 A702 road The A702 is a major road in Scotland, that runs from Edinburgh to St. John's Town of Dalry in Dumfries and Galloway. It is the last section of a sometimes recommended route between London and Edinburgh, the English and Scottish capitals, which now follows the M1, M6, A74 and A702 roads, rather than... Lanark Lanark Lanark is a small town in the central belt of Scotland. Its population of 8,253 makes it the 100th largest settlement in Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric Lanerc meaning "clear space, glade".... A73 A73 road The A73 is a former trunk route in Scotland, that connects the M74 at Abington, Jct. 13 to the M80 motorway at Cumbernauld. Running for approximately , it passes through the towns of Lanark, Carluke, Newmains, Chapelhall and Airdrie... Abington services Abington services Abington services is a motorway service station near the town of Abington, Scotland. The service station is located next to the M74 motorway and is accessed using motorway junction 13 in both the northbound and southbound directions. It is owned by Welcome Break. In a 2001 survey by Which,... |
| A74(M) motorway | ||
| Northbound exits | Junction | Southbound exits |
| Edinburgh A702 Lanark A73 Abington services Abington services Abington services is a motorway service station near the town of Abington, Scotland. The service station is located next to the M74 motorway and is accessed using motorway junction 13 in both the northbound and southbound directions. It is owned by Welcome Break. In a 2001 survey by Which,... |
J13 | Road continues as A74(M) |
| Crawford Crawford - In Canada :* Crawford Bay Airport, British Columbia* Crawford Lake Conservation Area, Ontario- In the United Kingdom :* Crawford, a small village near Rainford, Merseyside* Crawford, South Lanarkshire, Scotland home to …... , Thornhill Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway Thornhill is a town in the Mid Nithsdale area of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, south of Sanquhar and north of Dumfries.A monument to the explorer Joseph Thomson , who lived in neighbouring Penpont and Gatelawbridge, can be found close to the school... A702 |
J14 | Crawford, Thornhill A702 |
| Moffat Moffat Moffat is a former burgh and spa town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, lying on the River Annan, with a population of around 2,500. The most notable building in the town is the Moffat House Hotel, designed by John Adam... , Dumfries Dumfries Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South... A701 A701 road -Route:The A701 leaves Dumfries and travels north to meet the A74 at Beattock. It thens joins the A74 for a short spell before branching off to the north-east towards Moffat and ultimately Edinburgh.... |
J15 | Moffat, Selkirk A701 |
| Johnstonebridge Johnstonebridge Johnstonebridge is a village in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.It is roughly halfway between Moffat and Lockerbie, and lies on the A74 motorway. The Annandale Water Services on the motorway are in Johnstonebridge; prior to the construction of the motorway there were services on the old A74 road... B7076 Annandale Water Services Annandale Water Services Annandale Water services is a motorway service station in the village of Johnstonebridge, Scotland. The service station is located next to the A74 motorway and is accessed using motorway junction 16 in both the northbound and southbound directions... |
J16 | Johnstonebridge B7076 Annandale Water Services |
| Lockerbie Lockerbie Lockerbie is a town in the Dumfries and Galloway region of south-western Scotland. It lies approximately from Glasgow, and from the English border. It had a population of 4,009 at the 2001 census... B7076 |
J17 | Lockerbie, Dumfries B7076 |
| Lockerbie Lockerbie Lockerbie is a town in the Dumfries and Galloway region of south-western Scotland. It lies approximately from Glasgow, and from the English border. It had a population of 4,009 at the 2001 census... , Dumfries Dumfries Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South... B723 |
J18 | No access |
| Ecclefechan Ecclefechan Ecclefechan is a small village in the south of Scotland in Dumfries and Galloway.Ecclefechan lay in the early middle ages within the British kingdom of Rheged, and the name is derived from the Brythonic for "small church"... B7076 |
J19 | Ecclefechan B7076 |
| Eaglesfield Eaglesfield Eaglesfield is a small town in south east Dumfriesshire , Scotland. It is not far from the English Border.-History:Eaglesfield is of ancient origin, and Blacket Tower is the former seat of an old Borders family... , Annan Annan, Dumfries and Galloway The royal burgh of Annan is a well-built town, red sandstone being the material mainly used. Each year in July, Annan celebrates the Royal Charter and the boundaries of the Royal Burgh are confirmed when a mounted cavalcade undertakes the Riding of the Marches. Entertainment includes a... B722 |
J20 | Eaglesfield, Annan, Kirtlebridge Kirtlebridge Kirtlebridge is a village in Dumfries and Galloway, southern Scotland. It is located north-east of Annan, north-west of Kirkpatrick-Fleming, and south of Eaglesfield... B722 |
| Kirtlebridge Kirtlebridge Kirtlebridge is a village in Dumfries and Galloway, southern Scotland. It is located north-east of Annan, north-west of Kirkpatrick-Fleming, and south of Eaglesfield... , Kirkpatrick Fleming B7076 Canonbie Canonbie Canonbie is a small village in Dumfries and Galloway in south west Scotland, six miles south of Langholm and two miles north of the Anglo-Scottish border. It is on the A7 road from Carlisle to Edinburgh, and the River Esk flows through it... B6357 |
J21 | Canonbie B6357 Kirtlebridge, Kirkpatrick Fleming B7076 |
| Gretna Green Services | ||
| Dumfries, Stranraer Stranraer Stranraer is a town in the southwest of Scotland. It lies in the west of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire.Stranraer lies on the shores of Loch Ryan on the northern side of the isthmus joining the Rhins of Galloway to the mainland... , Gretna A75 A75 road The A75 is a major road in Scotland, heading west along the south coast of Scotland from its junction with the A74 motorway at Gretna. It continues past Eastriggs, Annan, Dumfries, Castle Douglas, Gatehouse of Fleet, Newton Stewart and Glenluce before ending at Stranraer.The majority of the road... |
J22 | Longtown Longtown, Cumbria Longtown is a small town in northern Cumbria, England, with a population of around 3,000. It is in the parish of Arthuret and on the River Esk, not far from the Anglo-Scottish border. Nearby was the Battle of Arfderydd.... (A6071) Gretna Gretna -Places:In Scotland:*Gretna, Scotland in Dumfries and Galloway*Gretna GreenIn Canada:*Gretna, ManitobaIn the United States:*Gretna, Florida*Gretna, Louisiana*Gretna, Nebraska*Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania*Mount Gretna Heights, Pennsylvania... , Gretna Green Gretna Green Gretna Green is a village in the south of Scotland famous for runaway weddings. It is in Dumfries and Galloway, near the mouth of the River Esk and was historically the first village in Scotland, following the old coaching route from London to Edinburgh. Gretna Green has a railway station serving... B7076 A74(M) now continues as M6 M6 motorway The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to... to Carlisle, Penrith Penrith, Cumbria Penrith was an urban district between 1894 and 1974, when it was merged into Eden District.The authority's area was coterminous with the civil parish of Penrith although when the council was abolished Penrith became an unparished area.... and THE SOUTH |
External links
- CONSTRUCTION OF M74 MOTORWAY (1966) (archive film from the National Library of Scotland: SCOTTISH SCREEN ARCHIVE)
Official sites on the upgrades
Other sites
- JAM74: Joint Action against the M74
- Friends of the Earth: Stop Motorway Madness
- The Motorway Archive - M74/A74(M)
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7244627.stm
- M74-M8 Interchange - Clyde Waterfront regeneration