View source for A71 road

{{short description|Road in Scotland}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox road
| country = GBR
| type = A
| route = 71
| length_mi = 70
| map = [[File:A71 road map.png|200px]]
| map_custom = yes
| direction_a = East
| terminus_a = [[Edinburgh]]<br>{{coord|55.9392|-3.2265|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline|name=A71 road (eastern end)}}
| direction_b = West
| terminus_b = [[Irvine, North Ayrshire|Irvine]]<br>{{coord|55.6070|-4.6662|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline|name=A71 road (western end)}}
| junction = {{jct|country=GBR|M|8|dab1=Great Britain}}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|M|74|dab1=Great Britain}}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|70|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|72|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|73|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|76|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|77|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|78|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|704|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|706|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|719|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|720|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|721|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|722|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|723|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|735|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|737|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|759|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|899|name1= }}
| destinations = [[Edinburgh]], [[Livingston, West Lothian|Livingston]], [[Strathaven]], [[Kilmarnock]]
| previous_type = A
| next_type = A
| previous_route = 70
| next_route = 72
}}
The '''A71''' is a major [[road]] in [[Scotland]] linking [[Edinburgh]] with [[Lanarkshire]] and [[Ayrshire]]. It adjoins the Livingston Bypass [[A899 road|A899]].
It runs south west from Edinburgh for approximately 70 miles, through [[Saughton]], [[Wilkieston]] and south of [[Livingston, Scotland|Livingston]], [[Whitburn, West Lothian|Whitburn]] and [[Wishaw]], then by way of [[Overtown, North Lanarkshire|Overtown]], [[Garrion Bridge]], [[Stonehouse, South Lanarkshire|Stonehouse]], [[Strathaven]], [[Darvel]], [[Newmilns]], [[Galston, East Ayrshire|Galston]], [[Hurlford]] and [[Kilmarnock]] to [[Irvine, North Ayrshire|Irvine]] on the [[North Ayrshire]] coast.
Formerly a trunk route from the east to the west coast of [[Scotland]] it has since been downgraded to a mix of primary and secondary routes. From Edinburgh to [[Darvel]], it is now a secondary route, in a poor state of repair in some places. But, from Darvel to Irvine, it has retained its [[primary route]] status.
==Route==
===Edinburgh to Newmains===
The A71 almost parallels the [[M8 motorway (Scotland)|M8]] between the [[A720]] (Edinburgh City Bypass) and the junction with the [[A73 road|A73]] at [[Newmains]]. It passes through the village of Wilkieston and onto the [[Mid Calder]] bypass, which leads the route to the south of [[Livingston, Scotland|Livingston]]. The A71 follows a very straight course through [[Livingston, Scotland|Livingston]] with several grade separated junctions.
===Newmains to Darvel===
[[File:New Garrion Bridge 2001 - A71 - geograph.org.uk - 756210.jpg|thumb|left|A71 crossing the [[River Clyde]] at [[Garrion Bridge]]]]
West of Livingston, the A71 turns sharply south west, bypassing [[Shotts]], [[Newmains]] and [[Wishaw]] then descends steeply into the [[Clyde Valley]], over [[Garrion Bridge]] at the junction with the [[A72 road|A72]]. The A71 climbs steeply up the western side of the Clyde valley on a road which it shares for a very short section with the A72.
When the A71 peaks at the top of the valley, it goes under the [[M74 motorway|M74]] at Jct 8 (a junction known locally as Canderside Toll), before turning towards the village of Stonehouse, where a bypass takes traffic to the north of the narrow village roads, before descending into the [[Avon Water|Avon]] valley and into [[Strathaven]]. This village, at a meeting of the A71, [[A723]] and [[A726]], provides a link to [[East Kilbride]] and [[Paisley, Renfrewshire|Paisley]], as well as to [[Lanark]], [[Hamilton, South Lanarkshire|Hamilton]] and [[Motherwell]].
===Darvel to Irvine===
The A71 then becomes a narrow and winding road across moorland, as the road ascends to the head of the Avon valley. At the highest point is [[Loudoun Hill]], an ancient site of human occupation, and the road here follows the route of a minor [[Roman road]] which once linked the [[River Clyde|Clyde Valley]] and the coast. The road descends into the [[Loudoun|Irvine Valley]], going through the towns of [[Darvel]] and [[Newmilns]], and bypassing [[Galston, East Ayrshire|Galston]] and then through [[Hurlford]]. At Darvel, the A71 becomes a [[primary route]] for the rest of its length to Irvine, and widens slightly, with a straighter alignment until its junction with the [[A77 road|A77]], south of Kilmarnock. The A71 remains as a dual-carriageway until its terminus in Irvine town centre. A crash barrier runs along the central reservation of the dual-carriageway from the A77 to the boundary with North Ayrshire at Dreghorn.
In mid 2014, the road began to subside between Darvel and Newmilns, with the westbound lane being affected near to the entrance to Gowanbank House.  Traffic lights were put in place while a solution was sought, however as of January 2017, a solution has been found and the traffic lights have been lifted.
==External links==
{{GeoGroup}}
*[http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/roadlists/f99/71.shtml SABRE page on the A71]
{{UK primary routes 7}}
{{Transport in Edinburgh}}
{{coord|55.7376|-3.9396|dim:100000_region:GB|display=title|name=A71 road}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:7-0071}}
[[Category:Roads in Scotland]]
[[Category:Transport in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Transport in North Ayrshire]]
[[Category:Transport in East Ayrshire]]
[[Category:Transport in West Lothian]]
[[Category:Transport in North Lanarkshire]]
[[Category:Transport in South Lanarkshire]]
[[Category:Strathaven]]
[[Category:Irvine, North Ayrshire]]
[[Category:Kilmarnock]]
[[Category:Galston, East Ayrshire]]
[[Category:Darvel]]
[[Category:Stonehouse, South Lanarkshire]]
[[Category:Livingston, West Lothian]]
[[Category:Gorgie]]
[[Category:West Calder]]