East Airdrie Link Road is a key project in the council’s wider Pan-Lanarkshire orbital transport corridor to link three strategic motorways – the M80, M8 and M74 – to reduce journey times, traffic congestion and improve air quality.

AtkinsRéalis has been appointed to deliver the Stage 3 design of the road and local connections, conduct environmental impact assessments, and help obtain funding approvals and planning permission. North Lanarkshire Council and AtkinsRéalis will consult with stakeholders through the statutory process.

East Airdrie Link Road will create a new two-way, single-carriageway road to the east of Airdrie, running from the M8 at Newhouse to the north of Riggend, as well as a new walking and cycling route between Calderbank/Chapelhall and Riggend. The road will provide the primary access to the new Monklands Hospital in Wester Moffat.

Barry Lennie, AtkinsRéalis transportation client director for Scotland and Northern Ireland, said: “While North Lanarkshire provides vital transportation routes across Scotland, bridging Glasgow and Edinburgh, strengthening local connectivity for communities remains a high priority.

“The East Airdrie Link Road will open new connections, facilitating place and planned growth by providing better access to employment, health and education, growing businesses, and encouraging more sustainable travel. We look forward to working closely with North Lanarkshire Council to bring this project to life.”

Councillor Alex McVey, convener of Enterprise and Fair Work Committee at North Lanarkshire Council, said: “The East Airdrie Link Road will create a strategic north-south link between the M8 and Cumbernauld, essentially creating a transport route as part of the wider Pan Lanarkshire Transport Corridor that will enormously improve connectivity for people who live and work here.

“It will facilitate and encourage sustainable travel through supporting public transport and active travel provision and will significantly improve transport connections for business and industry to support local and regional economic growth. Critically, the new link road will provide access to the new Monklands Hospital at Wester Moffat in Airdrie.”

The appointment builds on AtkinsRéalis’ existing transportation work in Scotland, including designing long-term solutions for the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful and designing the major refurbishment of the Edinburgh North Bridge.

East Airdrie Link Road is supported by investment from the Scottish UK governments and North Lanarkshire Council through the Glasgow City Region City Deal Infrastructure Fund. More information is available on the North Lanarkshire website.