M9 Winchburgh Junction

The new motorway junction at Winchburgh is being constructed to provide strategic access to its expanding community. As well as serving new housing and business, the proposals will facilitate a step change in accessibility for this part of West Lothian.

Outline planning consent for the Winchburgh Masterplan was granted by West Lothian Council in April 2012 and covers the development of a 352 hectare settlement expansion. It includes residential, commercial, industrial, recreation and retail uses. It also includes community facilities, landscaping and open spaces, rail and road infrastructure  incorporating a rail station, park and ride facilities, a junction to the M9 motorway and both primary and secondary school provision.

A number of mechanisms were incorporated into a set of planning conditions. They aim to safeguard the commitment to providing the appropriate road infrastructure, which will serve the settlement as it expands. One of these conditions includes a restriction on the construction of no more than 1,000 residential units until the implementation of the new junction on the M9 motorway is complete.

The draft Orders and Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) for the new M9 motorway junction scheme have now been published. The objection period will start from 27 August 2020. Progress will be dependent on the responses received to the draft Orders.

Construction of the scheme itself can only commence once the scheme is approved by the Scottish Ministers under the relevant statutory procedures and thereafter a timetable for its progress can be set.

Draft Orders and EIAR

The draft orders will include:

• The M9/A9 Trunk Road (Winchburgh Junction 1B at the B8020) Special Road Scheme 202
• The M9/A9 Trunk Road (Winchburgh Junction 1B at the B8020) (Side Roads) Order 202
• The M9/A9 Trunk Road (Winchburgh Junction 1B at the B8020) (Extinguishment of Public Rights of Way) Order 202

Upon publication of the of the draft Orders a statutory objection period of six weeks, from 27 August to 8 October 2020, will take place. Within this period, Transport Scotland invites comments on the proposals.

Due to the impact of COVID-19 on public gatherings and the Scottish Government’s current guidance on physical distancing there will be no public exhibition event to support the scheme through the statutory consultation period. Public exhibition events are the format which Transport Scotland traditionally use to present relevant information on the proposed scheme to the public. As an alternative way of providing this information, a public engagement story map has been provided which contains details of the proposals.

Public engagement information

• View M9 Winchburgh Junction Story Map

Scottish Ministers’ decision letter - M9 Winchburgh Junction

Following careful consideration of the objections received in relation to the proposed new junction on the M9 at Winchburgh, the Scottish Ministers have decided that the Orders should be made with modifications as proposed by Transport Scotland.

• Read the decision letter

The Road Orders for the new junction at M9 Winchburgh have now been made and published and include the following:

• The M9/A9 Trunk Road (Winchburgh Junction 1B at The B8020) Special Road Scheme 2021
• The M9/A9 Trunk Road (Winchburgh Junction 1B at The B8020) (Special Road) (Side Roads) Order 2021
• The M9/A9 Trunk Road (Winchburgh Junction 1B at The B8020) (Extinguishment Of Public Rights Of Way) Order 2021

Any person aggrieved by either of these Orders who wishes to question their validity or any of the provisions therein on the grounds that they are not within the powers of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 or that any requirement of the Act or any regulations made under the Act have not been complied with in relation to the Orders may, within six weeks of 25 November 2021, make application to the Court of Session for the suspension of the operation of, or the quashing of, the Orders or any provision contained therein.

Construction of M9 Junction 1B (Winchburgh) has been completed by Winchburgh Developments Limited (WDL) and was opened to traffic on 10 February 2023.

WDL is also in the process of forming a new spine road for their development as well as upgrading the local B8020 Beatlie Road to improve connectivity between Winchburgh and the M9.

To facilitate this, the B8020 Beatlie Road is currently closed to through-traffic until approximately April 2023, therefore M9 Junction 1B, is initially accessible to / from the North side until such time that the B8020 Beatlie Road re-opens. Signage will be in place to clearly communicate this to road users.