M6 motorway

The M6 motorway is a motorway in England, United Kingdom. It runs from a junction with the M1 near Rugby in central England to Carlisle, close to the Scottish border. It is certainly the longest motorway in the country and is often claimed to be the busiest, although the M25 may also lay claim to this dubious distinction, depending on the measurement used.

History and Curiosities

The first part of the motorway, and indeed the motorway in the country, near Preston was opened by then Prime Minister Harold Macmillan on December 5,1958. In subsequent years the motorway was extended piecemeal in both directions and currently stands at 230 miles long. On the elevated ground between Shap and Tebay, the north and south-bound carriages split apart. Uniquely, at this point a local road runs between the two carriageways without a junction to the motorway.

Future Developments

Near completion (February 2003) is the M6 Toll, Britain's first toll road, which will run around the east and northern sides of Birmingham in addition to the current M6, alleviating congestion at the motorway's busiest point.

The A556(M) link road, providing a route to the M56 eastbound towards Manchester for motorists coming from the south on the M6 has been the subject of a public inquiry for many years.

The M74 upgrade near Gretna Green will extend the motorway to the Scottish border, connecting the M6 to the M74. On completion it is expected that the M74 will be renamed the M6, creating a motorway running more than 350 miles from Rugby to Glasgow.

Junctions

The towns, cities and roads listed are those given on road signs on the motorway as the junction is approached. Throughout we use northbound and southbound although the motorway is closer to running east-west at its beginning.

Junctions on the M6 motorway

No.	Exits to : Northbound	Exits to : Southbound
1	Rugby, Lutterworth, A426	Rugby, A426
2	Coventry, Leicester, A46, M69, (M1)	Coventry(E), Leicester, A46, M69
3	Bedworth, Coventry(N), Nuneaton, A444	Bedworth, Coventry(N), Nuneaton, A444
4	Coventry(S&W), NEC, Birmingham Airport, A446	The SOUTH WEST, Birmingham(S), Solihull, Birmingham Airport, NEC, Lichfield, M42, A446
4a	The NORTH, The SOUTH, M42, (M1), (M40)	No exit
5	No exit	Birmingham(E), Solihull, A452
6	Birmingham(E,Cen & NE), Lichfield, A38	Birmingham(Cen&NE), A38
7	Birmingham(N), A34	Birmingham(N), Walsall, A34
8	The SOUTH WEST, Birmingham(S&W), West Bromwich, M5	The SOUTH WEST, Birmingham(S&W), West Bromwich, M5
9	Wednesbury A461	Wednesbury A461
10	Walsall A454	Walsall, Wolverhampton(Cen&E) A454
10a	No exit	NORTH & MID WALES, Wolverhampton, Telford, M54
11	Wolverhampton A460	Cannock, A460
12	Cannock, Telford, Wolverhampton NORTH WALES, A5, (M54)	Telford, A5
13	Stafford(S), A449	Stafford
14	Stafford(N), A34	Stafford(N), Stone, Eccleshall, A34
15	Stoke-on-Trent, Stone, Eccleshall, A500	Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme, A500
16	Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent(N), Crewe, Nantwich, A500	Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Nantwich, A500
17	Congleton, Sandbach, A534	Congleton, Sandbach, A534
18	Holmes Chapel, Middlewich, A54	Holmes Chapel, Middlewich, Chester, Northwich, A54
19	Northwich, Knutsford, Macclesfield, A556	Manchester & airport, Stockport, A556, (M56(E))
20	NORTH WALES, Runcorn, Chester, Stockport, Manchester, Lymm, Macclesfield, M56, A50	NORTH WALES, Runcorn, Birkenhead, Lymm, Warrington, M56, A50
21	Warrington, Irlam, A57	Warrington, Irlam, A57
21a	Manchester, Bolton, Leeds, Liverpool, M62	Manchester, Bolton, Leeds, Liverpool, Southport, M62
22	Warrington, A49	Newton, Leigh, A49, A579
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