{{Short description|Former trunk road in Scotland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Use British English|date=February 2013}} {{Infobox road | country = SCT | type = A | route = 73 | map = 200px | map_custom = yes | header_type = minor | length_mi = 37.9 | length_ref = <ref name="Mile"/> | direction_a = South | terminus_a = {{Jct|country=GBR|A|702}} near Abington<br>{{coord|55.5190|-3.6856|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline|name=A73 road (southern end)}} | direction_b = North | terminus_b = {{Jct|country=GBR|M|80}} in Cumbernauld<br>{{coord|55.9435|-4.0136|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline|name=A73 road (northern end)}} | junction = {{Jct|country=GBR|M|8|A|8|dab1=Scotland}} near Chapelhall | areas = South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire | previous_type = A | next_type = A | previous_route = 72 | next_route = 74 }}

The '''A73''' is a former trunk route in Scotland, that connects the M74 at Abington, Jct. 13 to the M80 motorway at Cumbernauld. Running for approximately {{convert|37|mi|km}}, it passes through the towns of Lanark, Carluke, Newmains, Chapelhall and Airdrie. Formerly a main route connecting the north of Scotland to England it has less importance these days, and is now merely a local feeder to the two motorways with which it connects.

The sections between Abington & Carluke and Cumbernauld & Newhouse were the first sections to be downgraded from a trunk route to a secondary route, following the construction of the shorter M73 further west, which connected the M74 at Jct. 4. This motorway removed the need for vehicles from the north to use the A73 to reach England.

Following this downgrading, the remaining section of A73 between Carluke and Newhouse remained a trunk route for vehicles travelling between Glasgow and Peebles. For this reason, two new sections of dual carriageway were built between Bellside & Newmains and Bogside & Law, as well as a new bypass for the town centre of Carluke, where the trunk route continues as the A721.

Eventually though, the M74 was completed and it became easier for vehicles travelling from Peebles to Glasgow, to use the A702 trunk route instead, which also joins the M74 at Abington.

For this reason, the entire length of the A73 was downgraded to a secondary route, although it is still heavily trafficked, especially between Lanark and the M8 at Newhouse.

==Junction list== {{SCTinttop|length_ref=<ref name="Mile">{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/55.5191413,-3.6856967/55.9429958,-4.0129703/@55.9346958,-4.0272113,4139m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m4!4m3!2m1!1b1!3e0!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTIwOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D|title=A73, Biggar ML12 6RG, UK to 31 Auchenkiln Holdings, Cumbernauld, Glasgow G68 9AU, UK|publisher=Google Maps|access-date=22 December 2025}}</ref>}} {{GBRint |county=South Lanarkshire |cspan=9 |location_special=Roberton |mile=0.0 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|702|AM|74|to2=yes|location1=Biggar|city2=Edinburgh|city3=Carlisle}} |notes=Southern terminus }} {{GBRint |type=concur |location_special=Covington |mile=7.2 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|72|A|702|dir1=east|to2=yes|name1=Biggar Road|location1=Symington|location2=Biggar|city3=Edinburgh}} |notes=Southern terminus of A72 concurrency }} {{GBRint |type=concur |location_special=Carmichael |mile=12.7 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|70|dir1=west|city1=Ayr}} |notes=Southern terminus of A70 concurrency }} {{GBRint |type=concur |location=Lanark |lspan=4 |mile=13.1 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|70|dir1=east|city1=Carstairs|city2=Edinburgh}} |notes=Northern terminus of A70 concurrency }} {{GBRint |mile=15.5 |mspan=2 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|743|A|70|dir1=east|to2=yes|name1=St Leonard Street|city1=Carstairs|city2=Edinburgh}} |notes=Information signed southbound only; western terminus of A743 }} {{GBRint |mile=none |road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|706|dir1=north|name1=Hope Street|location1=Whitburn|city2=Linlithgow}} |notes=Southern terminus of A706 }} {{GBRint |type=concur |mile=15.9 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|72|dir1=west|name1=Kirkfieldbank Brae|location1=Hamilton}} |notes=Northern terminus of A72 concurrency }} {{GBRint |type=concur |location=Carluke |mile=21.1 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|721|A|70|dir1=southeast|to2=yes|name1=Glamis Avenue|city1=Peebles}} |notes=Southern terminus of A721 concurrency }} {{GBRint |type=concur |location_special=Carluke–<br>Cambusnethan<br>boundary |mile=23.3 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|721|road|Hyndshaw Road|dir1=northwest|name1=Wishaw Road|city1=Wishaw}} |notes=Northern terminus of A721 concurrency }} {{GBRint |type=concur |county=North Lanarkshire |cspan=8 |location=Newmains |lspan=2 |mile=24.4 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|71|dir1=west|name1=Overtown Road|city1=Kilmarnock|location2=Overtown|location3=Waterloo}} |notes=Southern terminus of A71 concurrency }} {{GBRint |type=concur |mile=24.8 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|71|A|722|road|Bonkle Road|B|717|dir1=north|dir2=west|to3=yes|name1=Morningside Road|name2=Manse Road|city1=Edinburgh|city2=Shotts|city3=Wishaw|city4=Bonkle}} |notes=Northern terminus of A71 concurrency; eastern terminus of A722 }} {{GBRint |location_special=Newhouse |mile=28.8 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|775|B|7066|A|723|B|7069|dir1=west|name1=Edinburgh Road|name2=Glasgow and Edinburgh Road|to3=yes|city1=Holytown|city2=Motherwell|location3=Harthill|city4=Salsburgh|location5=Whitburn}} |notes=Eastern terminus of A775 }} {{GBRint |location_special=Newhouse–<br>Chapelhall<br>boundary |mile=29.0 |mile2=29.2 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|M|8|A|8|M|73|M|74|to3=yes|city1=Edinburgh|city2=Glasgow|city3=Coatbridge|city4=Eurocentral|dab1=Scotland}} |notes=To M74 and Eurocentral signed northbound only, To M73 southbound only; M8 junction 6 }} {{GBRint |location_special=Airdrie |lspan=2 |mile=31.8 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|89|name1=Clark Street / Forrest Street|location1=Airdrie|city2=Coatbridge|location3=Plains|extra=hospital}} |notes= }} {{GBRint |mile=32.5 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|8010|road|Burnhead Road (B8058)|A|89|dir1=southwest|to3=yes|name1=Black Street|city1=Glasgow|city2=Coatbridge|extra=hospital}} |notes=Hospital signed southbound only; northeastern terminus of A8010 }} {{GBRint |type=incomplete |location=none |mile=35.2 |mile2=35.7 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|B|8039|to1=yes|city1=Cumbernauld}} |notes=Junction; no northbound entrance }} {{GBRint |location=Cumbernauld |mile=37.9 |road={{Jct|country=GBR|M|80|M|73|to2=yes|city1=Glasgow|city2=Carlisle|city3=Stirling|city4=Kincardine Bridge}}<br>{{Jct|country=GBR|B|8048|city1=Kirkintilloch|city2=Kilsyth|city3=Cumbernauld}} |notes=Northern terminus; M80 junction 5 }} {{jctbtm|keys=concur,incomplete}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{commons category-inline}} {{GeoGroup}}

{{UK primary routes 7}}

{{coord|55.7254|-3.8324|dim:50000_region:GB|display=title|name=A73 road}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:7-0073}} Category:Roads in Scotland Category:Transport in North Lanarkshire Category:Transport in South Lanarkshire Category:Airdrie, North Lanarkshire Category:Cumbernauld Category:Carluke Category:Lanark Category:Clydesdale