The Government of Scotland has opened the new Raith Underpass, at Junction 5 of the M74.

The new Raith Underpass was built with an objective to reduce traffic congestion at the junction near Hamilton in South Lanarkshire.

The new A725 underpass, which runs below the M74 motorway, was completed in three years.

"The new underpass, and the strategic road network to which it links, will be a considerable benefit to commuters and businesses right across Scotland."

Scotland's Cabinet Secretary for Economy Jobs and Fair Work Keith Brown said: “The opening of the new underpass at Raith is a major and significant milestone in this massive transport infrastructure project.

“The Scottish Government is investing almost half a billion pounds to improve Central Scotland’s road network.

“This investment will make a tangible difference to road users, alleviating the traffic congestion that has been a historic problem at Raith, and improving journey times through the junction by up to 15 minutes.

“The new underpass, and the strategic road network to which it links, will be a considerable benefit to commuters and businesses right across Scotland.”

Scottish Roads Partnership (SRP) started construction of the £500m M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project on behalf of Transport Scotland in February 2014, upgrading the A8 between Glasgow and Edinburgh to complete the ‘missing link’.

Raith underpass is significant as it connects M73, M74, and A725, and the strategic junctions.

The works that were carried out at the new junction includes creation of a 560m-long, 35m- wide underpass below the existing roundabout and the M74, which is the main arterial route between Scotland and England.

The government expects that the completion of the underpass will provide a free-flow link for traffic between the Bellshill Bypass and the East Kilbride Expressway.

The firm also stated that three new bridges have been built to carry the motorway and local traffic over the new underpass, separating the traffic on the A725 from that using the M74.