They should take the BBC Basic approach of numbering junctions in multiples of 10, that way there's always enough space to fit one inbetween!

I'm convinced that I had an AA Handbook which showed Ax(M) Motorways with letters as junction "numbers". Unfortunately that was back in the mid-seventies and I can't prove it.

For a few years in the late 60s, some maps and atlases showed a set of junction numbers on the "original M62" Stretford-Eccles bypass which didn't appear on any signs. They were shown as increasing northwards, with the present M60 J7 as 1 and the present J13 as 6. (At that time, the present junctions 8 and 12 didn't exist, and there was a half-diamond junction with the B5213).

At that time the plan to rename most of the original M62 as M63 was in existence, but it wasn't implemented until 1971 when the M602 Eccles bypass opened. Only then did the M63 get junction numbers shown on signs, and they increased southwards.

They did, but those were the AA's own invention and never appeared on signs.

Maybe this was to index the diagrams, IIRC AA handbooks had details of limited access and none standard junctions.

Also, before official junction numbers were introduced, the AA handbook didn't have special motorway maps, but the AA produced separate special maps which incorporated strip maps of motorways, with junctions numbered for cross reference to junction diagrams.

I really need to get home to leaf through the relevant documentation, but I'm sure I've got the exact date somewhere when the decision was taken. Certainly there are references to "M62 Sale Eastern and Northendon Bypass" in there, as well as the aborted M64 numbering for the Eccles Bypass.

I have abunch of AA Atlases from the 1980's with motorway strip maps in them... And on motorways where the junction's aren't numbered, they've put letters...

This was in 1981-1987, for definate!

I have a number of cuttings from that period, mostly from the Manchester Evening News. They're rather inaccessible at present, but some day I'll look through them again. I'm pretty sure the M63 decision was mentioned in one or more of them several years before it was implemented. But before that, the M62 was planned to reach at least to Cheadle. Stockport would perhaps have been M56.

Yeah - but given that I always used to type in RENUMBER before saving a program, that could get pretty expensive if the same system was used on the roads!

I remember I had an AA map with "lettered" junction ons the A1(M) in the 80s when I was a kid! On the Barton - Washington section, what is now J56 was "A" and it went up to J65 being "K" and as at the time, the A1 went through the Tyne Tunnel (it was before the Western by-pass) the junctions on what is now the A194(M) were L, M and N.

And I can confirm the year that that section got its junction numbers was 1993. I remember the first one I saw was 56 heading away from Darlington on a school trip! I think (but not as certain as the other section) the Doncaster by-pass section got its junction numbers the same year as well, but I've no idea when j1 - 10 got numbered.

(a) You're assuming they need junction numbers at all,
(b) It might be more sensible to have a suffix specifically meaning a junction on a spur from the main junction.

I'm not saying we should go with the plan, but I don't think that's a good argument against it.

Wow, that takes me back...!

Very early 1968 seems to be the right date. There are certainly memos from November 1967 suggesting that Liverpool - Hull should be M62 (or alternatively that Preston - Hull be M61...), but I can't find the confirmation document.

The change for M64 -> M602 dates from late 1969.

Here's an idea: when they've finished upgrading the A1 to motorway standard between Dishforth and Scotch Corner there'll be a motorway all the way from London to Newcastle. Why not rename the A1(M) from Leeds to Newcastle the M1?

Distance based numbering seems to work elsewhere, but raises issues of where the datum point is. Having been to Spain again recently driving along renumbered motorways the junction numbers on the AP-7 towards Cartagena made no sense either.....

In general, I'm against renumbering but given that the end of UK motorway building is in sight, I wonder whether it might be worth having a comprehensive once-and-for-all big renumbering exercise in a few years' time to remove all the anomolies and oddities, safe in the knowledge that the new numbers would probably stand for all time?

Any subsequent new junctions - likely to be few in number - could just get a letter suffix.

Welcome to SABRE! As you can imagine this idea has been suggested before, more than once! Especially as the M1 takes the mainline at Hook Moor (the M1/A1(M) split north of Leeds). It's a bit strange that the M1 suddenly turns into the A1(M).

But there's no sign of that happening. Besides what happens to the A1, disappears? Not the A1, no that can't happen!

I don't know about that. Most of the junction numbers are fine a mass renumbering would be a bit of an expensive waste IMO.