The Roads that became the A6 and M6

Roads go back as far as people where on the earth, several roads are mentioned in the bible book of Genesis, clearly they have been around for a long time. Many of these roads transversed continents bringing trade Caravans containing manufactured goods from one country to another.In this site we look at the Roads that became the London to Carlisle Trunk Road known as the A6 and its replacement Britain's Longest Motorway the M6

Roman Roads

Roads in Britain go back to pre historic times, many of todays roads where once early tracks between villages, however the first serious road building in Britain was the Romans, added to by the Anglo Saxons as the built new villages this evolved.

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Turnpikes

Turnpikes system which improved and modernised the road system in the 18th and 19th centuries. These where named after the pike that stood outside the Toll House that turned once the toll had been paid. Many of the turnpikes where the basis for the modern road system.

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Roads the Became the A6

In 1871 Roads come under the control of the Local Authorities. A few years later that decade the first motor vehicle appeared, by 1900 Cars where starting to appear on Britains Roads, many local athorities started to spray roads with tarbut it look World War 1 to truly mechanise Transport. During the 1920's the Government reorganised the roads giving each a number

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Motorways

Motor traffic continued to increase on Britains roads in the 1920's and 30's, some forward thinking authrities where already planning replacements for their main roads, however this had to be put on hold as World War 2 raged. It was this war that saw the end of the horse and cart as a regular means of transport. By the 1950's Britains roads where becoming crowded. The Government took the desision to make a new type of road the Motorway, the first opened was the M6 Preston Bypass,, still Britains longest Motorway.

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Learn About the Development of the British Road System

A6 M6

A6 Trunk Road

The A6 runs from today from Luton in the south, to Carlisle in the north however in times past it ran from London going northwest to eventually end in Carlisle. Of England's original Cardinal or one number routes the A6 at 299 miles is second only in length to the A1. It goes from the heights of the fells of Cumbria and Derbyshire to urban stretches through cities such as Manchester and Leicester, in fact the A6 passes through 7 of Englands Cities

First Motorway

Plaque at Junction 31 of the M6 at Preston showing this was Britains first Motorway.

First Motorway

Plaque at Junction 31 of the M6 at Preston showing this was Britains first Motorway.

First Motorway

Plaque at Junction 31 of the M6 at Preston showing this was Britains first Motorway.

First Motorway

Plaque at Junction 31 of the M6 at Preston showing this was Britains first Motorway.

First Motorway

Plaque at Junction 31 of the M6 at Preston showing this was Britains first Motorway.

From Britains Oldest Motorway to Britains Longest Motorway

Preston Bypass

Spaghetti Junction

Cumbria Gap

Towns & Cities

The A6 goes through seven of England's cities currently starting at Carlisle on to Lancaster then Englands newest city of Preston it then passes through the twin cities of Salford and Manchester the largest city on the current A6, entering the midland it passes through Derby and Leicester currently the southern most city on the A6. In times past it went through St Albans and into London.

Northern Section

Carlisle to Broughton

Central Section (North)

Preston to Salford

Central Section (South)

Manchester to Loughborough

Southern Section

Leicester to London

M6 was Britains First Motorway the 9 mile section of the Preston Bypass opened on 5th December 1958. The last section the Cumbria Gap was opened exactly 50 years later on 5th December 2008

The M6 is Britains Longest Motorway at 232 Miles running off the M1 at Catthorpe near Rugby to Gretna on the England - Scotland Border .

M6 Motorway

The M6 contains the Preston Bypass Britain's first Motorway, and in the section across what was once the Cumberland Gap is one of Britains newer Motorway. from its origins round Preston it has been extended north and south so today it runs from the M1 just east of Rugby to the Scottish border near Gretna Green.

The Video below shows the opening of the Preston Bypass

M6 Timeline

Junctions on the M6