16 lanes, four carriageways, three motorways – and 50 years of Glasgow motorway history!

In this special anniversary episode of the Scottish Roadscast, Stuart Baird and Duncan MacKnight celebrate 50 years of the M8 Renfrew Motorway, which officially opened on 15 October 1976.

Stretching from the Kingston Bridge to Hillington, this remarkable section of motorway completed a vital missing link in Glasgow's road network and became one of the city's most impressive engineering achievements.

But its construction was far from straightforward!

Discover how the 1973 oil crisis almost brought the project to a halt, why an unexpected £11 million funding windfall transformed the plans, and how engineers managed to squeeze an extraordinary 16 lanes of motorway into the Plantation Interchange.

Along the way, Stuart and Duncan explore forgotten motorway proposals, unusual junctions, hidden engineering features and the remarkable efforts made to fit this enormous road into Glasgow's urban landscape.

From ambitious 1960s planning to the challenges of modern-day traffic, it's a fascinating look at the people, decisions and engineering that shaped one of Scotland's busiest motorway corridors.

Plus: Historic archive discoveries, memories of the motorway's grand opening, and a few mysteries that we'd love our listeners to help solve!

Whether you're passionate about roads and engineering, interested in Glasgow's history, or simply curious about the motorway you've driven along countless times, join us for another journey into Scotland's transport past.

Explore the Scottish Roads Archive: https://www.scottishroadsarchive.org/roadscast

Scottish Roadscast – Exploring the history of Scotland's roads, bridges and motorways.