This is to allow resurfacing work to be carried out using low carbon materials, as part of a project to reduce the levels of carbon used in future road maintenance operations in a bid to reduce our CO2 emissions.

The work will be done in phases, with signed diversions in place, but there will be no access between Salsburgh and Harthill during the works.

Phase 1

3 and 4 July and 9 to 11July – B7066, Hirst Road east of the junction with Main Street, Salsburgh to Kirk O’Shotts Primary School.

Phase 2

5 to 9 July – B7066, Hirst Road at and including junctions with the B7057, Shotts Road and B7057 (access to/from M8).

Phase 3

11 to 23 July – B7066, Hirst Road immediately west of the junction with B7057, Shotts Road to the junction with House O’Muir Road.

Phase 3a

23 to 25 July – B7066, Hirst Road at and including the junction with House O’Muir Road.

Phase 4

25 July to 3 August – B7066, Hirst Road from House O’Muir Road to Shottsburn Road.

Local access to/from properties within the closure will be provided when possible. However, as a result of the type of work being undertaken and for the safety of site staff and road users, there will be a delay before access can be allowed to and from driveways.

There may be some disruption to local bus services during the work but the council will operate an additional shuttle bus service. SPT will publish the revised timetable(s) here when finalised.

SPT will operate services via Eastfield, Shotts, Allanton and Bellside during the closure of the staggered junction, however journey times are likely to be affected so please allow extra time for your journey.

We are part of a partnership project – the Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads (CEDR) – which is identifying and testing low carbon materials used in roads maintenance.

There are high levels of carbon contained within many materials used on our road network, from bitumen (or tar) used to surface roads, to the paint for road markings, the vehicles used in maintenance, and structures like bridges and barriers.

CEDR is looking for and testing alternative materials, including some that could help build roads that last longer or with materials from natural, renewable sources.

The work on Hirst Road will trial seven low carbon materials to repair potholes and resurface the road. We will inspect the materials regularly to monitor the condition and performance of each product over time. The outcomes from the trials will inform future development and use of the products across the UK.

Hirst Road was chosen for the trials as the length of straight road allows us to test a number of products at one location and it has consistent level of traffic flow, including LGVs. The junctions also will help us test materials at a location with high traffic use.

A section of Hirst Road was scheduled for resurfacing within the current financial year, however any further work would have been carried out in phases, over a number of years, as part of the council’s routine maintenance programme. As a result of the CEDR trials, a 2.1km section of Hirst Road will be resurfaced over a five week period.

If you have any questions about the road closure, please contact us at roads@northlan.gov.uk.

CEDR has been established in partnership with Transport for West Midlands, Amey and Colas, as part of ADEPT Live Labs 2, a three-year UK-wide £30 million programme funded by the Department for Transport aimed at decarbonising the local road network.