Drivers in South Lanarkshire are being warned to brace for overnight disruption this month as vital resurfacing work gets underway on one of the area’s busiest commuter routes.
The A725 near Crossbaskets, East Kilbride, will see a full week of night-time lane closures and diversions starting Thursday, May 15. It’s all part of a £multi-million maintenance plan overseen by Amey on behalf of Transport Scotland.
What’s Closing and When?
The planned work isn’t a one-off—it’s a carefully phased closure across several nights, and it’ll hit both directions of traffic at different times.
Initial closures begin on Thursday 15 May and Friday 16 May, when the eastbound carriageway will see lane restrictions between 8pm and 6am. Crucially, the slip-road from Mavor Roundabout will also be out of bounds. That’s going to push a lot of traffic onto Whirlies Roundabout.
The bigger disruption, however, lands later in the week.
From Friday night at 8pm (16 May) through to Monday morning at 6am (19 May), a contraflow system will be in place. This includes:
• Closure of the westbound link to Whirlies Roundabout (traffic redirected to Mavor Roundabout)
• Closure of the eastbound link from Mavor Roundabout (drivers rerouted via Whirlies)
That’s a whole weekend of redirected traffic for one of Lanarkshire’s key junctions.
Why This Stretch? Why Now?
So, why here? And why now?
Transport Scotland says it comes down to wear and tear. This bit of the expressway takes a daily beating from thousands of cars, vans, and haulage vehicles—especially those cutting through between East Kilbride and the M74 corridor.
By targeting the Crossbaskets section, engineers hope to prevent deeper road damage that would require heavier, longer-term closures later on.
And let’s be honest—it’s May. The nights are getting shorter and drier, which makes it the best window for surface work that can’t be rushed or done in poor weather.
Local Drivers: Frustrated, But Resigned
East Kilbride’s residents aren’t exactly thrilled—but they’re also not shocked.
“Look, no one likes roadworks,” said Carla McLennan, who commutes daily from Blantyre to EK. “But I’d rather deal with it now than hit potholes for the next five years.”
Some drivers worry more about the detours than the closures themselves. Navigating roundabouts like Whirlies and Mavor in daylight is challenging enough—doing it in the dark with diverted traffic could get messy.
Still, most admit that overnight works beat all-day closures. One delivery driver we spoke to, working night shifts from Rutherglen, summed it up: “At least they’re not doing this at rush hour. That’d be chaos.”
The Bigger Picture: Scotland’s Road Repair Blitz
The resurfacing at Crossbaskets isn’t happening in a vacuum. Across Scotland, Transport Scotland and its partners have been ramping up overnight infrastructure work this spring.
Here’s how the current push stacks up compared to last year:
| Region | Projects in May 2024 | Projects in May 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| South Lanarkshire | 4 | 7 |
| Glasgow City | 5 | 6 |
| Ayrshire | 3 | 5 |
| Fife | 2 | 4 |
Resurfacing budgets got a modest boost this year. The reasoning is simple: catch up on post-winter damage and finish surface upgrades before the busier summer travel season.
Amey, which manages large sections of trunk roads across Scotland, is leading multiple overnight blitzes in key corridors.
What Drivers Should Know This Week
If you’re planning late-night journeys through the A725, especially between May 15 and May 22, your best bet is to plan early and check updates.
Some useful things to keep in mind:
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All closures start at 8pm and end at 6am, unless otherwise stated.
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Signposted diversions will guide drivers to and from Mavor and Whirlies roundabouts.
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The contraflow setup (May 16–19) could result in slower speeds and some confusion—especially for those unfamiliar with the layout.
Even with signs and signals, overnight visibility can be patchy, and fatigue plays a factor. Be patient. These works are temporary, but frustration from long tailbacks can linger longer than tarmac.
Transport Officials Hope for Smooth Sailing—Eventually
No major resurfacing job is without hiccups, but officials say they’ve done what they can to keep disruption minimal.
“Overnight scheduling is crucial here,” a spokesperson for Amey noted. “By working during off-peak hours, we’re aiming to keep daytime traffic moving as freely as possible.”
Still, they urged caution.
Drivers are asked to follow diversions carefully and to slow down in work zones, even if roads look empty.
As with most projects of this kind, weather could push timelines—but for now, things are expected to wrap by Thursday, May 22.
