Work to continue on major motorway upgrades for another four months

Drivers have endured years of disruption during the project. Picture: John Devlin

Mr Brown said the improved roads would be fully open by the end of this week but remaining work would continue for some four months.

He said the snagging and finishing work "would not affect peak-time traffic flows".

The cabinet secretary was also criticised for not acting to improve poor road signs during the roadworks.

Central Scotland Conservative MSP Margaret Mitchell said signage had been "totally inadequate" and "countless drivers" had got lost, despite her raising it with him in February.

Mr Brown said: "Following on from the opening of the new M8 motorway in April and the M74 Raith underpass in February, the final sections of the new and improved M8, M73 and M74 motorways will open fully across the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project over the coming days.

"More traffic management is being removed across the project each day, with the motorways expected to be fully open by the end of this week.

“As is usual for projects of this nature, the contractor will now focus on necessary finishing and snagging works, and local road improvements which have been held back until the new roads were available.

"These works will continue until at least September, but will not affect peak time traffic flows.”

Mr Brown apologised to Ms Mitchell if he had overlooked a letter from her on road signs, and said he would be more than happy to look at the problem.