Work is underway to build the largest single span bridge as part of the £500 million M8/M73/M74 Motorway Improvements Project.

Time lapse footage released by Transport Scotland shows nine pairs of bridge beams being lifted into place for the North Calder Water Bridge .

Each steel beam is around 77 metres long and weigh almost 2,000 tonnes.

The structure will form part of the upgrade to Shawhead Junction and carry three lanes of traffic in each direction, alongside new on and off-slip roads, linking the M8 to the A725 both north and southbound.

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The project is the result of planning between Scottish Roads Partnership (SRP), the contractor responsible for delivering the project, and Ferrovial Lagan, its construction joint venture (JV).

Dario Saavedra, construction manager for Ferrovial Lagan Joint Venture, said: "This is a significant milestone for the project and a successful operation which we are very proud of. The beam installation took nine days to complete, lifting the giant beams onto the two new bridge abutments, each of which contain over 6000 tonnes of reinforced concrete.

"The beam lift was a complex piece of engineering and an important step towards completion of this impressive project."

Minister for Transport & Islands, Humza Yousaf, added: "This challenging feat of engineering is evidence of the Scottish Government's substantial commitment to invest in Scotland's trunk road infrastructure and upgrade the existing A8 to motorway standard.

"Once complete, The M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project will significantly reduce congestion across the central Scotland motorway network, and improve travel time reliability on the main route between Glasgow and Edinburgh."

(LM)