Improving access through Ravenscraig

The Ravenscraig Access Infrastructure project is the section of the Pan-Lanarkshire orbital route that runs from the M74 at Motherwell to the M8 at Holytown.

This section will link with the East Airdrie Link Road to provide a route through North Lanarkshire to the wider City Region.

The project will:

• provide new road and active travel routes
• make improvements to the existing road
• support the development and regeneration of Ravenscraig

The project is being delivered in two parts

Ravenscraig Access Infrastructure (RAI) South

RAI South will create a new road link and pedestrian and cycle paths into Ravenscraig from Airbles Road, up to the Regional Sports Facility.

The new road will go under the West Coast Main Line railway.  We have built a new bridge to enable this to happen and we will also need to create a new roundabout on Windmillhill Street.

There will also be other road improvements on Airbles Road at Windmillhill Street and Hamilton Road (A723).

Ravenscraig Access Infrastructure (RAI) North

RAI North will upgrade the A723 for three kilometres from the New Craig Road junction at Ravenscraig to the M8 at Holytown to create a dual carriageway and shared footway/cycleway.

Planning application information

Between Motherwell and Ravenscraig

Planning permission for the first parts of RAI South was granted at Planning Committee on 16 September 2021.

This will enable us to upgrade the road connections between Motherwell and Ravenscraig.

You can view plans and access other information on this by using reference number 21/00695/FUL on our online planning system.

Western end of Airbles Road

We have now submitted an application for the remaining parts of RAI South which confirms our proposals for improvements to the western end of Airbles Road.

You can see our proposals by viewing our updated story map and you can view our application and access other information on this by using reference number 22/00625/CLP on our online planning system.

Find out more

For more information about what’s being done on the RAI South and RAI North, go to our dedicated webpages.

We recommend you sign up to our email alerts as the best way to keep up-to-date on the project.

You may be interested in updates for RAI South, updates for RAI North or updates on both projects.

We are also doing other projects at Ravenscraig

• creating new active travel links - providing new walking, cycling and wheeling routes between Craigneuk and the Sports Facility.

Project news

We will always look to keep you up-to-date with what's happening on these projects and issue news releases to keep you informed.

• 18 April 2023 - New rail bridge signals next step in Ravenscraig regeneration – successful completion of first major milestone
• 1 December 2022 - Major engineering project to deliver rail crossing for Ravenscraig - progress on the new crossing of the West Coast Main Line
• 14 March 2022 - Contract awarded for rail crossing at Ravenscraig – contracts awarded for first works for RAI South
• 30 September 2021 - Planning approval granted - New Ravenscraig transport infrastructure plans approved.
• 26 November 2020 - Public engagement on Ravenscraig project - engagement exercise on plans for a new road.
• 8 October 2020 - Funding approved for £127.2m project - New transport links to open up Ravenscraig site
• 18 August 2020 - New road plans on the agenda - New roads and improvements to open up Ravenscraig regeneration site.
• 27 June 2019 - Scotland's largest regeneration site approval - Planning granted for Ravenscraig Masterplan.
• April 2019 - £200 million boost for Ravenscraig plans under City Deal programme - Revised plans approved for the Ravenscraig Infrastructure Access project.
• 21 December 2017 - £190m roads programme to boost Ravenscraig regeneration - Glasgow City Region City Deal announcement.