Transport Scotland - Information on delays to M8 Woodside Viaduct upgrade: EIR release

Information requested

The total number of reported delays to the upgrade to the M8 Woodside Viaduct upgrade since the project was initiated along with the projected costs of these delays.

Response

As the information you have requested is 'environmental information' for the purposes of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), we are required to deal with your request under those Regulations. We are applying the exemption at section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), so that we do not also have to deal with your request under FOISA.

This exemption is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption, because there is no public interest in dealing with the same request under two different regimes. This is essentially a technical point and has no material effect on the outcome of your request.

Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), Transport Scotland is not required to provide information which it does not have. Transport Scotland does not have some of the information you have requested because since the project was initiated, there have been two significant programme delays reflected in revised completion dates. No separate cost figure has been attributed specifically to the delays.

This exception is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in information about the total number of reported delays to the upgrade to the M8 Woodside Viaduct upgrade since the project was initiated along with the projected costs of these delays, clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

Further information on this project is available here Temporary Propping at M8 Woodside Viaducts | Transport Scotland

It may also be helpful to know that Transport Scotland is assessing options for permanent works that support the long-term future for Scotland’s trunk road network, so that it supports existing and future transport plans and the Scottish economy for many years to come.

As part of our project development processes, we are considering a range of options for Repairing, Replacing or potentially Removing the Woodside viaducts following completion of the temporary propping works.

At the current Strategic Outline Case stage of this work, consideration is being given to three strategic approaches:

• A Repair approach, which would require a combination of different methods to repair or strengthen parts of the viaducts, as well as protect against future deterioration;
• A Replace approach, which would involve constructing new structures to modern design standards, improving road layouts, durability, and increasing safety for road users; and
• A Remove approach, which would involve demolition of the viaducts and rerouting of M8 traffic onto the M74 motorway and Glasgow City’s local road network.

Public exhibitions on the strategic approaches were held on 25 February and 4 March 2026, and feedback from these consultations will inform assessment of the strategic approaches. The preferred approach will balance a range of engineering, environmental, economic, health and safety and social value factors as well as the views of the public.

Progress of the project from consideration of the strategic approach to identification and then implementation of the preferred approach is subject to satisfying the necessary project governance processes and the availability of sufficient funding.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.