Names for Motorway Junctions

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Tom
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Post by Tom »

I'm fairly sure that all motorway junctions have official names as well as numbers
for example (the ones that I know)
M25 J5 Chevening, J7 Merstham, J10 Wisley, J12 Thorpe, J15 Colnbrook, J16 Denham;
M6 J6 Gravelly Hill J8 Ray Hall
M60/M61 Worsley Braided Interchange
and the M1 junction names mentioned earlier.

They appear on all the official MoT/DoT etc diagrams and maps, are used by the police, and I shouldn't be surprised if they appeared on early maps for the public.

I expect the reason for these stems from the Ministry's distrust of numbering. They seem reluctant to rely on numbers alone -- remember the M1 is officially the London-Yorkshire Motorway, the A6 is part of the London-Carlisle-Glasgow trunk road etc.
<HR>
<<That feeling of creating a sense of place and identity was almost lost a few years ago when Granada attempted to rename many of it's service areas. I was very happy were they abandoned the idea and names like Birmingham North reverted back to Hilton Park.>>

Though Scratchwood services on the M1is now"London Gateway" -- a great shame in my view.
<HR>
As an alternative interpretation of the thread title: we have trumpets, cloverleaves and God knows what else, but can anyone think of new names for other types of motorway junctions?

I've just thought ofone: "ironing board" for junctions like M4 J2 (are there others like this junction in the country? -- I can't think of any).
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Post by Guy-Barry »

Tom: << As an alternative interpretation of the thread title: we have trumpets, cloverleaves and God knows what else, but can anyone think of new names for other types of motorway junctions?

I've just thought ofone: "ironing board" for junctions like M4 J2 >>

Does that mean you think it's going to collapse? :-)

<< (are there others like this junction in the country? -- I can't think of any). >>

I can't think offhandof otherexampleswhere one road runs directly above another, though I'm sure the good folk here will come up with some...

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Post by Truvelo »

At spaghetti (M6 J6) there is a slip road from the Aston Expressway to Tyburn Road which runs one above the other.
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Post by michaeltidd »

Tom suggests that perhaps all Motorway junctions have names as well as numbers - is this beginning of a new database in the 'Road Lists' section?
I have to admit that although I can guess at the names of some junctions, I wouldn't know what official names were used. Perhaps there are some folk out there who have more idea?
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Post by Steven »

On the subject of Service Area re-names:

Philip: <<I was very happy were they abandoned the idea and names like Birmingham North reverted back to Hilton Park>>

Apparently,the name changes were supposed to be easier for motorists to understand where they were. Unfortunately, whilst some were reasonable re-names, (Birch to Manchester North being an example, some 8 miles away) some were somewhat bizarre, as the Hilton Park example shows, being 20 or so miles away from Birmingham (and an hour or so in rush hour!). In fact, the Hilton Park re-name became the subject of a major local stropfrom Wolverhampton city council, given the 2.5 miles Hilton Park is outside the city boundary....

And we're now saddled with Forton Services which became Lancaster Services and are now Lancaster (Forton) Services!

On the subject of motorway junction names:

M6 J5 is Castle Bromwich
M6 J6 is Gravelly Hill
M6 J7 is Great Barr
M6 J8 is Ray Hall Interchange
M6 J9 is Wednesbury
M6 J10 is Walsall
M6 J11 is Cannock
M6 J12 is Gailey
M6 J13 is Stafford South
M6 J14 is Stafford North

M5 J1 is West Bromwich
M5 J2 is Oldbury

M54 J1 is Featherstone
M54 J2 is Coven Heath
M54 J3 is Tong
M54 J4 is Shifnal
M54 J5 is Telford Central
M54 J6 is Telford West
M54 J7 is Wellington

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Post by phil elliott »

"On the subject of motorway junction names:

M6 J5 is Castle Bromwich
M6 J6 is Gravelly Hill
M6 J7 is Great Barr
M6 J8 is Ray Hall Interchange
M6 J9 is Wednesbury
M6 J10 is Walsall
M6 J11 is Cannock"

Actually among the locals ( ie Cheslyn Hay/Shareshill/ Gt Wyrley) J11 is known as Laney Green which is where it is situated. It is is in S Staffs DC not Cannock Chase DC. I have heard it so referred to on local Traffic reports.

No one without an hour or two to spare attempts to leave at M6 J11 intending to reach Cannock at the moment as the backwash from M6 Toll is apalling.

Phil


PS I prefer numbers anyway.
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Post by Slim »

A few I know of around these parts are:

M25 J3 / M20 J1 / A20:
Swanley Interchange

M25 J2 / A2 / A282:
Darenth Interchange

M25 J28 / A12:
Brook Street

Again these are used regularly in traffic reports but are of little use unless you're a regular user of these junctions!

I've never heard of any others round here being given such names.
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Post by Switch Island »

Tom: << As an alternative interpretation of the thread title: we have trumpets, cloverleaves and God knows what else, but can anyone think of new names for other types of motorway junctions?
?
I've just thought of?one: "ironing board" for junctions like M4 J2 >>

Of course! There are other names: such as

1) "CLUELESS" e.g. The M6/M1/A14 "interchange"

2) "TRAFFIC TANGLE" e.g. Baillieston Interchange on the M8/A8 outside Glasgow.

3) "RIDICULOUS" e.g. Junction 3/4 on the M60 at Cheadle, nr Stockport

......seriously though - has anyone come across the term "PINWHEEL" interchanges?

The ones I mean are M62/M60/M602 at Winton nr. Eccles, M74 at Hamilton, and there are also a few on the M25 that intersect major motorways too.
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Post by Steven »

Phil :<<Actually among the locals ( ie Cheslyn Hay/Shareshill/ Gt Wyrley) J11 is known as Laney Green which is where it is situated>>

Among the not-quite-so-locals that little bit further away (2 miles rather than 100 yards!!) it's also colloquially known as "Laney Green" (but I have also heard it referred to as "Shareshill" too). I understand the official name is "Cannock" though, however bizarre you and I both know that is.....

<mild offtopic> And I agree about the awful traffic, by the way. Have you noticed the knock-on effect through Bridgetown to Churchbridge along the A5 that's been caused by the closure of Saredon Road and Lodge Lane through to Cheslyn Hay, that's been made even worse by the current 'cone-fest' at Churchbridge? The sooner it's all finished, the better. Have you noticed the new gantries going up at J11A now - it looks like the signs could be added tomorrow!</mild offtopic>

J10 is also locally known as "Bentley", being the district of Willenhall it's in, and I have also heard J9 be referred to (rarely, though) as "The Pleck" (or even "Morrisons" or "Ikea"!!!).

As for J12, confusingly I've heard it referred to as"Gailey Island", which is also the name of the A449/A5 junction a mile or so away........

M54 J3 is alsoreferred to as "Cosford", I've heard J4 referred to as "Priorslee" and J2 as "Fordhouses".

I wonder what major junction has the most different "local names" referring to it? Any takers for more than 3?

Of course, on motorways with no junction numbering (such as the A57(M)), the only reference point is the name, so you'll get "Cambridge Street", "Sackville Street", "London Road" and the like.

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Post by IJP1 »

I suspect J6 of Northern Ireland's M1 has more than three: I can think of 'Lisburn', 'Largymore Link' and 'Saintfield Road', but it is also the main road to Ballynahinch (so people from there may refer to it as 'Ballynahinch Road'). Doubtless it's also 'the one before Sprucefield' or 'the one before the Dublin turnoff', as the next junction is a really major one!
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Post by IJP1 »

By way of example, work out the following (reference NI's M1):

'A spokesperson for Roads Service said: ?The M1 motorway will be closed between the Stockman?s Lane roundabout and the Saintfield Road roundabout at Lisburn, from 10.00 pm on Saturday, 17 August, until 1.00 pm on Sunday. It is not anticipated there will be any problems as traffic volumes are typically low at that time. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
?The closure will affect travel both to and from Belfast. The diversion route will be via Saintfield Road (Lisburn), Queens Road, Dunmurry bypass, Black?s Road, Lisburn Road and Stockman?s Lane.?'
In fact, earlier in the release, one motorway even gets a name (the M5 is referred to as the 'Foreshore Motorway')!

J6 on the M1 that I referred to earlier seems to be known as 'the Saintfield Road turnoff at Lisburn' - what a mouthful! And the number is never mentioned!

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Post by t1(M) »

I recall in a 1st Edition Officila HMSO Guide to the North Downs Way - pulped in a thunderstorm so no longer in my possession - the M23/M25 junction (in the days when the M25 only ran from J6 to J8), was referred to as "Gravelly Hill" - presumably after the nearby hillof that name, although it's nearer to M25J6. As the name does not appear in the latest edition, or anywhere else, I wonder if the author made a mistake.
Gravelly Hill is of course also the official name ofM6 J6 (Spaghetti Junction)
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Post by Richard »

"Though Scratchwood services on the M1 is now "London Gateway" -- a great shame in my view."

That's heretical.

I seem to remember a cartoon, probably "The Critics" from Viz, in which the main characters attempt to go to the North and end up in Scratchwood services, thinking that they've arrived. They proceed to critique the service station under the mistaken impression that they're experiencing gritty northern realism.
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Post by Truvelo »

Rothersthorpe Services on the M1 is now called Northampton Services since it was rebuilt, although for once it is actually near the town of the same name unlike Cambridge Services which is several miles away.
Is there now a policy of renaming all servicesto that of the nearest large town?
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Post by scotsguy »

On our local radio station, they always refer to the junctions on the M8 by number and name, but I don't know if these are official or not.
Some examples are...
Baillieston
Westerhouse Road
Easterhouse
Stepps
Cumbernauld Road
Fruitmarket
Provan
Townhead
Dobbies Loan
Charing Cross
Kingston Bridge
Plantation
Helen Street
Airport
Can't remember the rest...
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Post by Steven »

Truvelo: <<Is there now a policy of renaming all servicesto that of the nearest large town?>>

Well, as the "Birmingham North" fiasco shows, it seems sometimes yes, sometimes no. For those of you who don't know, Hilton Park was re-named "Birmingham North" for a yesr or so, despite it being a fair distance away from the "name" city. As you can imagine, Wolverhampton Council (being the nearestmajor city, the outskirts being about a mile and a half away) had a major stropabout it,the point being that travellers were still about 20 minutes to an hour (!) away from Birmingham. So , it became Hilton Park once more, and peace was restored.....

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Post by biffvernon »

A1(M) Junction 38 is called Red House Interchange. For reasons and pics see about half way down page at: www.biffvernon.freeserve.co.uk/doncaster.htm
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Post by crobzub »

I've made up my own names for most of the M4 junctions in Wales, some of which may be official names.
23 - M48 (Wales)
24 - Newport East (couldnt think of a better name, sorry)
25 - uh... Caerleon?
25a - A4042 (again, sorry for lack of creativity!)
26 - cwmbran
27 - High Cross (I don't know anything about this junction! I'm only saying this because that's what's on the signs!)
28 - Risca
29 - A48M
30 - Cardiff Gate
32 - I found this on the AA website... Coryton Interchange
33 - Cardiff West
34 - Rhondda (I always associate this junction with the confusing load of Aroads between the M4 and A465)
35 - Pencoed
36 - Sarn
37 - Pyle
38/39 - Margam
40 - Cwmafan
41 - Briton Ferry
42 - Swansea east
43 - Llandarcy
44 - Skewen
45 - ynysforgan
46 - Llangyfelach
47 - Penllergaer (at last! one i havent named after the corresponding services!)
48 - Pontarddulais
49 - Pont Abraham
They're rubbish, huh?
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Post by M4Simon »

crobzub: <<I've made up my own names for most of the M4 junctions in Wales, some of which may be official names.>>
<<They're rubbish, huh?>>
I wouldn't say they were rubbish, but I have my own names for many of them, some of which I've seen used elsewhere. Mine in blue
23 - M48 (Wales)
23A - Magor
24 - Newport East (couldnt think of a better name, sorry) (Coldra - official)
25 - uh... Caerleon? (probably...)
25a - A4042 (again, sorry for lack of creativity!) (Caerleon again ? - the junctions overlap).
26 - cwmbran
27 - High Cross (I don't know anything about this junction! I'm only saying this because that's what's on the signs!) Yep
28 - Risca Tredegar (Park) - I think I've heard this one officially
29 - A48M Castleton
29A - St Mellons
30 - Cardiff Gate (Sounds ok)
32 - I found this on the AA website... Coryton Interchange - Yes
33 - Cardiff West
34 - Rhondda (I always associate this junction with the confusing load of Aroads between the M4 and A465) Miskin
35 - Pencoed Yes
36 - Sarn Yes
37 - Pyle Yes
38/39 - Margam Yes
40 - Cwmafan Port Talbot? Can't recall ever hearing an official name
41 - Briton Ferry Baglan / Aberavon? Briton Ferry is too far north
42 - Swansea east Earlswood - the roundabout below was always the Earlswood roundabout.
43 - Llandarcy Yes
44 - Skewen Yes
45 - ynysforgan Yes
46 - Llangyfelach Yes
47 - Penllergaer (at last! one i havent named after the corresponding services!) Yes
48 - Pontarddulais Yes
49 - Pont Abraham Yes
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Post by michaeltidd »

I've always liked the idea of named junctions - and in particular have always thought that junctions which have town/city names and directional indicators always sound great, like "Swansea East". I don't know how much use they are to non-locals, but on this basis, here are my ideals for the local motorway to me, the M23. (Probable official names in brackets)
J7 - Hooley (Hooley) (Also known as 'the end')
J8 - Merstham (Merstham Interchange)
J9 - Gatwick (Gatwick Airport)
J10 - Crawley North (Crawley)
J10a - Crawley East (Worth? - probably doesn't have one, it's a bit of a sad junction)
J11 - Crawley South (Pease Pottage)
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