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M5

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M5
Location Map ( geo)
Cameraicon.png View gallery (495)
From:  West Bromwich (SP013957)
To:  Exeter (SX926877)
Via:  Birmingham, Worcester, Gloucester, Bristol, Taunton
Distance:  166 miles (267.1 km)
Meets:  M4, M6, M42, M49, M50, A30, A38, A40
Former Number(s):  A38
Primary Destinations
Highway Authorities

National Highways

Traditional Counties

Devon • Gloucestershire • Somerset • Staffordshire • Worcestershire

Route outline (key)
M5 West Bromwich — Exeter
Junction List
Junc Northbound Southbound
M6 J8 M6 Start of Road
1 A41 A41
2 A4123 A4123
3 A456 A456
Services symbol.gif Frankley Services
4 A38, A491 A38, A491
4A M42 M42
5 A38 A38
6 A449, A4440, A4538 A449, A4440, A4538
7 A44 A44
Services symbol.gif Strensham Services
8 M50 M50
Bridge Bredon Bridge
9 A46, A438 A46, A438
10 A4019
Services symbol.gif Staverton Services
11 A40 A40
11A A417 A417
Services symbol.gif Gloucestershire Gateway Services
12 (A38) (A38)
Services symbol.gif Moreton Valence Services
13 A419 A419
Services symbol.gif Michaelwood Services
14 B4509 B4509
15 M4 M4
16 A38 A38
17 A4018, B4055 A4018, B4055
18A M49 No Exit
18 A4 A4
Bridge Avonmouth Bridge
Services symbol.gif Gordano Services (at J19)
19 A369 A369
20 B3133 B3133
Services symbol.gif Kingston Seymour Services
21 A370 A370
Services symbol.gif Sedgemoor services
22 A38 A38
Bridge Brue Bridge
23 A39 A39
Bridge Dunwear Bridge
Services symbol.gif Bridgwater services (at J24)
24 A38 A38
Services symbol.gif North Petherton Services
Bridge Taunton Viaduct
25 A358 A358
Services symbol.gif Taunton Deane Services
26 A38 A38
27 A38, A361 A38, A361
' A38 Temporary Start of Road
Services symbol.gif Willand Services
Services symbol.gif Cullompton Services (at J28)
28 B3181, A373 B3181, A373
' Temporary Start of Road A38
29 A30 A30
Services symbol.gif Exeter Services (at J30)
30 A376, A379 A376, A379
Bridge Exe Viaduct
31 Start of Road A30, A38
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For detailed information about this topic, see Roads.org.uk Motorway Database

England's M5 is a motorway running between the M6 in Staffordshire northwest of Birmingham and the A30 and A38 at Exeter, Devon. It meets the M42, M50, M49 and M4, and is the major route into the southwest of England from the Midlands and the north, as well as being part of the recommended route from London. Part of the section between J27 and J29 was opened as the A38 Cullompton Bypass.

Devon and Cornwall's tourist industry is very thankful for the M5, because nowadays trundling down the A38 would be a bad enough experience to put many holidaymakers off travelling to the South West. Now the M5 is primarily a route for holiday traffic and does this quite well, although on summer Saturdays and Bank Holidays it becomes congested. However, in the winter months, it can be a clear run from the M6 to Exeter.

Beginning from the south, the M5 really passes through nowhere in particular apart from Taunton and Bridgwater and most traffic on here is heading to Bristol and beyond. The junctions are only really there because it was a while since the last one. On a typical day, the first hold-up is likely to be at the Avonmouth Bridge. From then on, it will probably be a clear run right up to Ray Hall interchange, where you are likely to grind to a halt. This is because the M5 unloads itself onto the choked-already M6 without a single lane gain. This is a recipe for disaster and from 3:30 to around 7 every weekday night, queues usually stretch back to junction 1.

Junctions

Ray Hall Interchange

Ray Hall.png
Main Article: Ray Hall

Ray Hall is the northern terminus of the M5 in West Bromwich. It is a standard directional-T interchange with the M6. The road is, however, extremely congested at this point and tailbacks often form along several miles of the preceding motorway.

Almondsbury Interchange

Almondsbury Interchange.png
Main Article: Almondsbury Interchange

The Almondsbury Interchange is the main junction for traffic to interchange between the M4 and M5, and is interlinked with M5 junction 16, which provides access to the A38. The junction was the first example of a four-level stack in the country. Link roads connecting from M4 to M5 pass over the top level of the interchange and links from the M5 to the M4 pass underneath all other levels.

Strensham Interchange

Strensham Interchange.png
Main Article: Strensham Interchange

The Strensham Interchange is the junction linking the M5 to the M50. For the M5, it is a standard roundabout interchange, whilst it is a flat roundabout for the M50, of which it is also the terminus. The southbound exit for Strensham Services also feeds into this roundabout, merging with the off-slip from the M5.

Services

Frankley services

Frankley Services (M5 southbound side) - Geograph - 990332.jpg
Main Article: Frankley Services

Frankley services is a small MSA near to Birmingham, and has been recognised several times as offering a poor service.

Gordano services

Gordano Services off the M5 - Geograph - 1386778.jpg
Main Article: Gordano Services

Gordano services are a single-site MSA near to Bristol, and was the first MSA on the British motorway network to be located at a junction. It is a popular site, winning several awards.

Structures

Avonmouth Bridge

Frankley Services (M5 southbound side) - Geograph - 990332.jpg
Main Article: Avonmouth Bridge

The Avonmouth Bridge is a major crossing of the River Avon to the west of Bristol. Its completion was delayed and for a while the M5 was open either side of the bridge, but not across the bridge itself causing traffic to detour via Bristol, with many long delays.

Opening Dates

For detailed information about this section, see CBRD Motorway Database: M5 Timeline

Schemes and Maintenance

Start Completion Location Type Notes
25 April 2005 17 October 2005 J17 - J18A Addition of northbound climbing lane
October 2005 30 June 2006 J19 - J20 Addition of northbound and southbound climbing lanes
May 2009 July 2009 J4 - J4A Streetlight renewal
November 2009 Ongoing J3 - J4 Replacing central reservation
January 2012 2014 J15 - J17 Upgrade to Managed Motorways Along with M4 J19 - 20
The M5 between J4-8 in 1962

Traffic Data

From http://www.dft.gov.uk/traffic-counts/

Link 2002 AADF 2006 AADF 2010 AADF 2014 AADF
M6N 59546 49794 51430 75976
M6E 32614 45343 48230 42614
M6-J1 95844 102224 99593 121492
J1-2 87337 96738 99611 112469
J2-3 90606 94499 83626 96343
J3-Frankley 92621 95345 80321 87667
Frankley-J4 89170 87991 84924 91704
J4-4A 95733 99427 92967 96473
J4A 63172 66694 59041 74245
J4A-5 108976 112750 115149 116219
J5-6 99537 96713 90404 108367
J6-7 95502 117206 105649 100198
J7-8 88847 105485 85378 89357
J8-9 73079 80835 84891 75736
J9-10 77775 90496 92384 95489
J10-11 68229 80293 80590 83135
J11-11A 73593 81838 80298 84809
J11A-12 65483 93024 90555 84012
J12-13 71272 91153 90180 91267
J13-14 70098 77099 75487 74491
J14-15 69984 74824 81519 81073
J15-16 106063 126384 118122 113631
J16-17 94308 117630 98987 124061
J17-18A 91107 104182 89507 102685
J18A-18 80673 85885 90063 79781
J18 spur 39903 47988 40504 47423
A4 west 20558 21339 20896 23730
A4 east 19706 20884 20340 20979
J18-19 94355 108742 119443 130052
J19-20 79274 83090 103970 95374
J20-21 82023 85605 83840 105358
J21-22 75751 73224 65406 64074
J22-A38 21220 23406 25552 25670
J22-23 74835 100094 76330 73964
J23-24 53626 71892 79356 74844
J24-25 62210 64658 84128 68521
J25-26 47864 72898 71099 61601
J26-27 54240 55465 59718 56987
J27-28 51210 59948 58300 57157
J28-29 52132 54726 56623 64925
J29-30 67469 79536 72503 77568
J30-31 74630 78842 77918 81942



Videos

Michaelwood services Bridge Removal on the M5

This is the moment the 40-year-old Michaelwood Services footbridge was consigned to history in a massive overnight operation.

Highways England closed the M5 overnight between Junction 13 and Junction 14 to enable the dismantling and removal of the well-used and well-worn motorway structure.

The footbridge spanning the southbound and northbound areas of the services had reached the end of its life and was closed to pedestrians in 2018.

A 70-strong team were involved in the cutting, dismantling and lifting of the bridge, with a 750-tonne crane positioned on the northbound carriageway to lift and lower the 69-tonne footbridge and two 130-foot cranes to manoeuvre the structure for cutting and removal.

The 60-metre bridge may no longer span the M5 but the metal and concrete, including the ramps and pillars, will now be recycled for future use.

Watch video > >

Links


National Highways

Patchway Journal

Roads UK



M5
Sections
Junctions
Almondsbury Interchange • Almondsbury Roundabout • Ashchurch Interchange • Black Brook Interchange • Blackbrook Roundabout • Brockworth Interchange • Catshill Interchange • Chelston Interchange • Clevedon Interchange • Cribbs Causeway • Crookbarrow Interchange • Cullompton Interchange • Dunball Interchange • Edithmead Interchange • Falfield Interchange • Golden Valley Junction • Gordano Interchange • Huntworth Interchange • Lawrence Weston Interchange • Lydiate Ash • M5 J12 • Oldbury Interchange • Pearce's Hill • Piffs Elm Interchange • Portway Roundabout (Bristol) • Quinton Interchange • Rashwood Interchange • Ray Hall • Sandygate Roundabout • Sowton Interchange • St Brendans Roundabout • St Georges Interchange • Strensham Interchange • Stroudwater Interchange • Tiverton Parkway Interchange • Warndon Interchange • West Bromwich Interchange
Services
Crossings
Roads
Places
Miscellaneous
Related Pictures
View gallery (495)
The M5 motorway near Strensham - Geograph - 1000466.jpgM5-Clapton.jpgBuilding the M5 - About 1959 - Looking south towards Strensham - from what is now the A4104 - Coppermine - 21179.jpg20190710-1431 - Underneath the Oldbury Viaduct 52.501106N 2.009939W.jpgSowton Interchange original proposal.png
Other nearby roads
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Exeter
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