M77 motorway
Encyclopedia
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...
. It originally began in southern 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...
at the M8 motorway at 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...
, and terminates near 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'...
at the village of Fenwick
Fenwick, East Ayrshire
Fenwick is a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland, UK. As of 2001, its population was 863.Fenwick is the terminus of the M77 following its extension which was opened in April 2005, at the beginning of the Kilmarnock bypass....
. However, changes were made in autumn 2005 segregating a lane on the M8 motorway almost as far as the Kingston Bridge
Kingston 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...
, which in January 2006 was extended further actually onto the bridge itself. It forms the most northerly part of the A77
A77 road
The A77 road is a major road in Scotland. It runs in a southwesternly direction from the city of Glasgow, past the towns of Giffnock, Newton Mearns, Kilmarnock, Prestwick, Ayr, Maybole, Girvan and Stranraer to the town of Portpatrick on the Irish Sea...
trunk road
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
which links Glasgow to 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...
in the South West of Scotland. (The A77 itself continues to Portpatrick
Portpatrick
Portpatrick is a village hanging on to the extreme south-westerly tip of mainland Scotland, cut into a cleft in steep cliffs.Dating back historically some 500 years, and built adjacent to the ruins of nearby Dunskey Castle, its position on the Rhins of Galloway affords visitors views of the...
in the Rhins of Galloway
Rhins of Galloway
The Rhins of Galloway is a hammer-head peninsula in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland...
, the closest Scottish village to Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.)
The original M77 was merely a short 1.5 miles (2.4 km) spur route
Spur route
A spur route is a short road forming a branch from a longer, more important route . A bypass or beltway is never considered a true spur route as it typically reconnects with the major road...
which took traffic from the M8 motorway in the Kinning Park area of Glasgow, ending at a roundabout located on Dumbreck Road close to Bellahouston Park
Bellahouston Park
Bellahouston Park is a public park in the South Side of Glasgow, Scotland, between the areas of Mosspark, Craigton, Ibrox, and Dumbreck, covering an area of . It is based around Ibrox hill in the centre, with commanding views over most of the city, exceptions being views to the east that are...
(although prior to this had been an unused spur running to roughly Ibrox telephone exchange on Gower Street. However, a large number of accidents and pollution problems caused in the Giffnock and Newton Mearns districts by commuter traffic and heavy lorries (the A77 is also the main route for ferry-bound traffic sailing to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
), saw an extension being built to the motorway in 1994 to bypass these areas, which was opened in 1997. This was fiercely opposed by environmentalists, who set up a road protest camp
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...
, as it meant that the motorway would cut a tranche through the historic Pollok Country Park
Pollok Country Park
Pollok Country Park is a large country park located in Pollok, south Glasgow. Prior to the building of the M77 motorway it was the largest urban green space in Europe. In 2007 it was named the best park in Britain...
. However, approval for the extension was granted and construction went ahead. It has been suggested that the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
government of the day pushed the project through because Newton Mearns, which stood to benefit from the extension, lay in the middle of a Conservative-controlled constituency. However, a threatening visit in 1995 to the protesters of 'Pollok Free State' by the Conservative Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Allan Stewart
Allan Stewart (politician)
Allan Stewart , is a former Scottish Conservative politician.Educated at Bell Baxter High School, St. Andrews University and Harvard University, where he obtained a first class degree, he was a lecturer in Political Economy at St. Andrews before unsuccessfully standing for the Dundee East...
(then the MP for Eastwood the constituency including Newton Mearns), accompanied by his airgun-wielding son, resulted in a political shot in the foot, contributing to his subsequent resignation, and a fine for his son in Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
Sheriff Court
Sheriff Court
Sheriff courts provide the local court service in Scotland, with each court serving a sheriff court district within a sheriffdom.Sheriff courts deal with a myriad of legal procedures which include:*Solemn and Summary Criminal cases...
.
Tree carvings made by the residents of 'Pollok Free State', can still be seen from the road in the woods to the left of the Pollok
Pollok
Pollok is a large district on the south-western side of the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It was built to house families from the overcrowded inner city...
southbound turn off.
The latest upgrade was instigated in 2003, and involved extending the M77 a further 9 miles (14.5 km) south to the village of Fenwick
Fenwick, East Ayrshire
Fenwick is a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland, UK. As of 2001, its population was 863.Fenwick is the terminus of the M77 following its extension which was opened in April 2005, at the beginning of the Kilmarnock bypass....
, near 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'...
. This replaced the dangerous 4-lane single carriageway of the A77 that dropped to a two lane single carriageway for the bend just north of the Mearnskirk turn-off, and the A77/B764 (Eaglesham) junction (causing vehicles to queue dangerously on the outside lane on a bend to enter the B764 from the south) which were prone to fatal accidents. The scheme also included the Glasgow Southern Orbital (GSO) which bypasses the B764 Eaglesham Moor road to 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...
. This also resulted in the closure of Junction 5 on its previous site at Malletsheugh and the creation of a new Junction 5 at Maidenhill. The works were completed in April 2005.
In 2006, Junction 2 was rebuilt in conjunction with the building of the adjacent Silverburn Shopping Centre
Silverburn Centre
Silverburn is an 'out of town' shopping centre located on Barrhead Road in Pollok, Glasgow, Scotland. The development replaces the 75 acre Pollok centre with a brand new shopping centre, anchored by Tesco, Next, Marks & Spencer and Debenhams....
. The northbound off-ramp and southbound on-ramp are now routed via the access roundabout to the shopping centre.
In 2010 a relief lane was constructed between Plantation and Junction 1 southbound. The purpose of this was to ease the congestion that regularly occurs during peak rush hour.
A car sharing scheme, that will make use of the hard shoulder on Scotland's busier motorways, is under consideration by The Scottish Government. Discussions for trials on the M77 are taking place as the predicted traffic flow is likely to increase around the merging M8, M77 and M74 at Plantation. This is a result of completion of the M74 extension due in October 2010.
Much of the original section of the A77 that carried the traffic now accommodated by the M77 has been converted into a two-lane single carriageway with cycle lanes.
Junctions
| M77 Motorway | ||
| Northbound exits | Junction | Southbound exits |
| Glasgow, 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... M8 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... , 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... A8 |
M8 J22 | Start of Motorway |
| Govan Govan Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick.... , Pollokshields Pollokshields Pollokshields is a district in the Southside of Glasgow, Scotland. It is a conservation area which was developed in Victorian times according to a plan promoted by the original landowners, the Stirling-Maxwells of Pollok, whose association with the area goes as far back as... B768 M8 (West) |
J1 | Govan, Pollokshields B768 |
| Crookston Crookston, Glasgow Crookston is a residential suburb on the southwestern edge of the city of Glasgow, Scotland.Formerly a village in its own right, Crookston and its surrounding lands and castle , were named after the feudal Norman lord, Robert Croc, who was gifted the Levern valley in Renfrewshire by King David I... , Pollokshaws B762 |
J2 | Crookston, Pollokshaws B762 |
| Nitshill Nitshill Nitshill is a district on the south side of Glasgow. It is north of South Nitshill, south of Crookston, and southwest of Silverburn and Pollok. Nitshill was originally a coal mining village... , Darnley Darnley Darnley is an area in south-west Glasgow, Scotland located on the A727 just west of Arden. During the second half of the 20th Century Darnley has experienced total transformation from being a modest semi-rural community to becoming a significant part of Glasgow's response to a post-war housing... , Deaconsbank Deaconsbank Deaconsbank is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde. The main feature of the area is an estate of around 639 Private houses built in the late 1970s by Barratt homes... , Thornliebank Thornliebank Thornliebank is a small suburban village in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, south of Glasgow. It is served by Thornliebank railway station and lies to the east of the M77 motorway.-History:... , Barrhead Barrhead Barrhead is a town in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, southwest of Glasgow on the edge of the Gleniffer Braes. As of the 2001 census its population was 19,813.... A727 A727 road Until the 1980s, the A727 number applied to what is now the B767, north of Clarkston. In 2006, following the opening of the Glasgow Southern Orbital route, the A727 number was recreated and took over part of what was formerly numbered as the A726.... |
J3 | Nitshill, Darnley, Deaconsbank, Thornliebank, Barrhead A727 |
| No exit | J4 | Newton Mearns Newton Mearns Newton Mearns is a suburban town in East Renfrewshire, Scotland. It lies southwest of Glasgow City Centre on the main road to Ayrshire, above sea level. It has a population of approximately 22,637.The town is part of the Greater Glasgow conurbation... |
| 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... , Eaglesham Eaglesham Eaglesham , is a village and parish set in the west central Lowlands of Scotland - population 3,127 . Today it is chiefly a dormitory town for commuters to nearby Glasgow. The village is distinctive in being based around a large triangular green... A726 Newton Mearns A77 |
J5 | East Kilbride, Eaglesham A726 Newton Mearns A77 |
| No exit | J6 | Galston Galston, East Ayrshire Galston is a town in East Ayrshire, Scotland which has a population of 5000 . It is situated in wooded countryside 4 miles up-river from Kilmarnock and is one a group of the small towns located in the Irvine Valley between the towns of Hurlford and Newmilns. Galston is located in the Loudoun area... A77 |
| No exit | J7 | Stewarton, Fenwick Fenwick, East Ayrshire Fenwick is a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland, UK. As of 2001, its population was 863.Fenwick is the terminus of the M77 following its extension which was opened in April 2005, at the beginning of the Kilmarnock bypass.... B778 |
| Start of Motorway | J8 | Fenwick B7061 |
| Fenwick B7061 | Road continues as A77 to Kilmarnock | |