Motorists are being warned to expect major disruption as a £500m project to upgrade central Scotland's motorways progresses.

The latest phase of Transport Scotland's M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements project will focus on the seven-mile stretch of the A8 between Baillieston Interchange and the Newhouse Junction.

Over the next two weekends - from 8pm on Friday to 6am on Monday - a contraflow will be set up on the approach to the Chapelhall and Shawhead junctions, reducing traffic to one lane in each direction.

Traffic restrictions will be in place to enable demolition of the Bo'ness Road bridge on the B799, which crosses the A8 at Chapelhall, and the construction of a widened bridge at Shawhead Junction as work continues on the new M8 link to the east of Glasgow

Project manager Graeme Reid said: "These works have been scheduled to take place over the weekends to avoid disruption to commuters during the morning and evening peaks.

"Two lanes will be reinstated in each direction ahead of the Monday morning rush hour."

Following the initial two weekends, the contraflow at Chapelhall Junction will be removed but the A8 will remain down to one lane in each direction on approach to Shawhead Junction during weekends for around three months.

Mr Reid added: "We're working closely with our contractor, Scottish Roads Partnership (SRP), to minimise the disruption to road users as a result of this work, and these restrictions will not be in place during the May Bank Holiday weekend or during the weekend the Scottish Cup Final takes place at Hampden Park on May 21-22.

"Whilst we're doing everything we can to minimise the disruption, delays will be inevitable, so we're asking motorists to check the Transport Scotland and Traffic Scotland websites for updates on this key route between Glasgow and Edinburgh, to plan their journeys in advance and to look at taking an alternative route if possible."

At times, the weekend contraflows may affect access to slip roads and local roads.

Mr Reid said the majority of works on the A8 and M8 so far had caused "minimal disruption" to commuters.

"However, this year will see extensive works take place as we link the existing road with the new M8 motorway and its junctions, and consequently this will result in an unavoidable increase in traffic management," he added.