Dunton Interchange

This article is about the junction of the A446 and M42.
For the junction on the A127 in Essex, see Dunton Junction.

The original crossroads in 1922

By 1926 both sides of the east-west route had been upgraded

The crossroads in November 1962

The small roundabout with A446 to the south dualled in 1967

The small roundabout now with A446 in both directions dualled and the A4097 extended to the east in 1972

Dunton Interchange is where the M42, M6 Toll, A446 and A4097 meet. It is junction T1 of the M6 Toll and junction 8A and junction 9 of the M42.

History

At the time of the original road classification in 1922, this was the location of a crossroads between the A446 and the B4141, with the road to the east being unclassified. By 1926, the east-west route saw both halves upgraded, with the B4141 becoming the road to the east instead, and the original B4141 upgraded to A4097.

A roundabout was constructed here in the mid-1960s, which co-incided with the improvement of the A446 to the south to a dual carriageway, followed a few years later by the same improvement to the north.

The arrival of the M42 increased the size of the roundabout dramatically. Traffic signals were later added and the number of lanes on the roundabout was increased when the M6 Toll was built.

Plan of proposed services

During the design stage for the M42 four possible locations for service areas were under consideration. One of these was a site on the southeast corner of the roundabout. However a site at junction 10 proved better and the services were eventually built there.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
M6 Toll	The NORTH WEST, Lichfield, Cannock
M42	The NORTH, The N. EAST (M1), Tamworth, Nottingham, Burton upon Trent
M42	The S.WEST, Birmingham, Coventry (M6), Birmingham Airport
A446	Wishaw, Lichfield
A446	Coleshill, Water Orton, Hams Hall, N.E.C.
A4097	Sutton Coldfield, Minworth, Curdworth
A4097	Kingsbury, Marston
B4141	Sutton Coldfield, Minworth, Curdworth	Upgraded to A4097 by 1926-27
B4141	Kingsbury, Marston	Originally unclassifie
M600	The NORTH WEST, Lichfield, Cannock	administrative number for M6 Toll
A446(M)	The NORTH WEST, Lichfield, Cannock	provisional number for M6 Toll

Links

• Roads.org.uk: Bad Junctions