BEAR Scotland has announced the completion of over £26 million in improvements and maintenance across the South East trunk road network during the final quarter of 2025.

Working on behalf of Transport Scotland, the operating company delivered a wide-ranging package of works aimed at enhancing the safety, reliability, and surface quality of some of the country's busiest routes.

The investment covered several key areas, including multi-million-pound resurfacing projects, essential bridge refurbishments, and major inspections of iconic structures like the Forth Road Bridge.

Resurfacing projects accounted for over £7 million of the total spend. The Roads Structural Maintenance team delivered 15 separate projects, laying more than 30,000 tonnes of new asphalt. An additional seven resurfacing schemes were completed by the Routine Maintenance teams.

Key routes benefiting from these upgrades include:

- Motorways: M8 and M80

- Trunk Roads: A1, A7, A68, and A720 (Edinburgh City Bypass)

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- Safety Features: Installation of high-friction surfacing at Keir Roundabout and a comprehensive programme of road marking and stud replacement on the M9.

Bridges and Structures

Almost £11 million was invested in bridge projects during the quarter. Significant works included:

• B792 Bridge: Completion of Phase Two of the major refurbishment of the bridge over the M8 between Bathgate and Blackburn.

• Masterton Viaduct (M90): Commencement of concrete repairs on the structure's piers.

• Local Refurbishments: Completed works at Townfoot Bridge in Jedburgh and Galadean Bridge north of Earlston.

On the Forth Road Bridge, teams completed steelwork paint repairs, main cable inspections, and the refurbishment of under-deck walkways. Work also progressed on the replacement of the main tower lateral thrust bearings.

The quarter also saw a successful trial of the automated diversion system on the Queensferry Crossing, which was deployed in just 15 minutes. This followed routine overnight maintenance on the bridge's stay cables throughout October and November.

Other notable achievements included:

- Drainage: 14 improvement schemes across the A1, A7, A702, M8, and M9.

- Environmental: Emergency riverbank repairs at Ewes Water on the A7, north of Langholm, to protect the trunk road from erosion.

Jamie Finlayson, BEAR Scotland's Contract Director for the South East Unit, said: "In the final quarter of 2025 we have maintained a high level of productivity, delivering a significant package of improvements to the trunk road network in South East Scotland. As always, this has been made possible thanks to continuing strong investment from our client Transport Scotland. Some routes such as the M8 have seen a great deal of improvement works taking place. We appreciate that this does cause some short-term disruption, however road users will feel the benefits in terms of improved safety and reliability for years to come."