Moodiesburn bypass opens in £320m M80 upgrade project
A new bypass, which has been built as part of the £320m project to upgrade the M80 in North Lanarkshire, has been opened to traffic.
The Moodiesburn Bypass, from Hornshill to Mollinsburn, is part of the scheme to upgrade an 11-mile stretch of the A80(M) between Stepps and Haggs.
It opened to traffic, northbound only, at lunchtime. The southbound section is scheduled to open on Sunday.
Temporary traffic restrictions will be in place until the summer.
This will include a reduced 40mph speed limit - enforced with average speed cameras - in order to protect road users and the project workforce.
Transport Minister Keith Brown said the bypass would make life easier for people living near the A80.
"People living along this section of the existing A80 have for many years had to put up with thousands of vehicles passing their front doors and causing major traffic congestion on the main road that runs through the heart of their communities," he said.
"With the opening of this new bypass they can now look forward to 45,000 fewer vehicles a day passing through their community, bringing with it a safer and healthier environment.
"When completed in the autumn, the £320m M80 project will cut journey times during peak periods, by 30% to 40%, saving motorists up to 15 minutes each way between Stepps and Haggs."