M6 Junctions

The M6 has 51 junctions plus its junction with the M1 they are split over 9 counties listed towards the bottom of this page. There are 5 basic types of junction on the M6 these are shown below:-

Roundabout over The Motorway

This is the most common type of junction on the M6 and one of the safest. On leaving the motorway the car's braking is helped by going uphill, on entering the motorway the cars acceleration is helped by going downhill. The roundabout is a safe way of regulating traffic at the junction this type of junction is used at the following junctions:-

Junction 1, Junction 3, Junction 4, Junction 10, Junction 11, Junction 12, Junction 13, Junction 18, Junction 19, Junction 22, Junction 27, Junction 35, Junction 36, Junction 40, Junction 41, Junction 42, Junction 43, Junction 44

See also:-

Junction 2, Junction 29,

Roundabout under The Motorway

This is similar to the above except it does not help drivers joining and leaving the motorway in that the have to brake going downhill and accelerate going uphill. They are built where the geology of the area does not favor the roundabout being above the M6 or where the M6 is elevated as happens in the West Midlands it is used in the following junctions:-

Junction 9, Junction 14, Junction 16, Junction 23,

See also Junction 5

Double Roundabout

This is the oldest type of junction in that it was employed on what is now junction 31 at Preston the only junction on the Preston bypass it consists of two roundabouts either side of the M6 it is similar to the two above, slightly safer where the roundabouts are higher than the M6. Its disadvantage is that traffic on the A road the M6 is joining with has to negotiate 2 roundabouts. It is used in the following junctions:-

Junction 21, Junction 26, Junction 31

See Also:- Junction 20 , Junction 31a

T Junction/Crossroads at the end of a slip road

These tend to be the less important junctions, the simplest to build where the slip road terminates directly onto the A or B road, they are less after than a roundabout and one Junction 34 is particularly dangerous, better where the road crosses above the M6 on a bridge rather than under the motorway. This configuration is used at:-

Junction 17, Junction 24, Junction 28, Junction 34, Junction 37, Junction 39,

See also:- Junction 15

Motorways Merge

A often quite simple junction where two motorways join often just one way, but in one instance it is a multiple junction these are usually quite safe junctions This configuration is used at the following:-

Junction 3a, Junction 8, Junction 10a, Junction 11a, Junction 30

See Also

M1/M6

Multi Complex Junctions

Usually where two motorways cross or several roads are involved the most famous being junction 6 spaghetti junction. It is used at the following junctions:-

M1/M6, Junction 2, Junctiion 4, Junction 6, Junction 7, Junction 20, Junction 21a, Junction 30, Junction 32

See Also:- Junction 33, Junction 38,

The junctions in relation to counties:-

Junctions 45-36 Cumbria, the most northerly county on the M6, possibly the most scenic motorway route in England?

Junctions 35-27 Lancashire, the motorway starts to get a little busier, included the two oldest stretches of the M6 the Lancaster Bypass and Britain's first motorway the Preston Bypass now completely changed from its original two lanes this is a four lane busy urban section

Junctions 26-25 Greater Manchester, the M6 become more urban, with regular rush hour queue's to match.

Junctions 16-10a Staffordshire, the busy line of traffic continues, then divides some using the busy M6 the rich using the M6 toll!

Junctions 10-4a West Midlands, those of us that refused to pay the toll on the journey south now wish we had as the M6 becomes one of the busiest motorways in Britain, including the famous spaghetti junction.

Junction 4-1 Warwickshire, slightly lighter traffic as Birmingham can now be seen through our rear view mirror.

Junction 19 M1 Leicestershire, here the M6 ends we can continue straight on as the A14 or turn off onto the M1.