A6(NI) dualling to start

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c2R
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by c2R »

BBC are reporting that Randalstown to Toome is open: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-49210633
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by AndyB »

Yes, 9.30 last night. The road was to be closed until early this morning to complete the tying in, but NI is quite good at ending road closures early where possible.
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by A42_Sparks »

Took a spin down the new road tonight. Excellent surface and good sightlines, it's very similar in standard to the recent A26 upgrade north of Ballymena.

And it's long overdue as the Moneynick section it's replacing was the worst part of the entire A6 and was shameful for the main route between Northern Ireland's two largest cities. There are no junctions along this section so it's a pity it couldn't have been a motorway extension. At least M22 j3 is finally being completed as it's been in a 'temporary' unfinished state since 1971.

Apologies for the crappy dashcam pics but there are new signs on the approach to j3. They are reminiscent of M50 j3 with the left arrow emerging abruptly at right angles to the carriageway. It's a compact GSJ and the left turn really is that tight. There is another sign at 1/2 mile, neither of them feature the junction number. Note the junction is now called Randalstown West, formerly Artresnahan although that may not have been an official name.

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The end of motorway sign has been placed in a rather strange position, just after the 100yds countdown marker and well before the actual sliproad exits. The gore sign is green not blue suggesting that j3 is now no longer actually part of the M22.

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The chopsticks sign eastbound is directly opposite the end of motorway sign so we're going to have slightly less M22 than we had before the upgrade. For some reason it has been placed behind the old M22 route confirmation sign a few hundred yards past the junction. There are no references to j3 on the signs eastbound either.

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It's flippin' enormous! Probably the biggest chopsticks sign I've ever seen. The pictures don't really do it justice. And it's in Transport font :x

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The old A6 Moneynick section has been renamed the B183. Real lack of imagination from Roads Service as it also goes into Toome to meet the B18.

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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by AndyB »

Potentially the chopsticks signage is temporary pending making the Motorway/Trunk Road Order, which cannot be done in the absence of the Assembly.

For the same reason, the A6 can't be reclassified legally, but Class I and II roads don't carry any prohibitions, so there isn't a legal problem with having the permanent signs up for what were and still are all-purpose roads.
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by A42_Sparks »

Yes you could be right. You can't actually come off at j3 yet, there was a sign saying non-motorway traffic could use the M22 as far as j2.
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by Chris5156 »

It’s possible that the junction isn’t signposted as J3 because it is now permanently off the motorway - it’s simply the first junction on the A6 after the M22 ends. If so, that’s a slightly silly decision; the M22 should really end at the junction and not before it.
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by A42_Sparks »

Chris5156 wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 08:06 It’s possible that the junction isn’t signposted as J3 because it is now permanently off the motorway - it’s simply the first junction on the A6 after the M22 ends. If so, that’s a slightly silly decision; the M22 should really end at the junction and not before it.
It seems to be the case now. The motorway terminates about 200yds further east than it used to, though it could be still be temporary awaiting the full opening of the Randalstown West junction.
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

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Chris5156 wrote:It’s possible that the junction isn’t signposted as J3 because it is now permanently off the motorway - it’s simply the first junction on the A6 after the M22 ends. If so, that’s a slightly silly decision; the M22 should really end at the junction and not before it.
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by Peter350 »

nowster wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 19:56
Chris5156 wrote:It’s possible that the junction isn’t signposted as J3 because it is now permanently off the motorway - it’s simply the first junction on the A6 after the M22 ends. If so, that’s a slightly silly decision; the M22 should really end at the junction and not before it.
M56 Dunkirk as precedent?
And not forgetting the A14 at Catthorpe of course!
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by nowster »

Peter350 wrote:
nowster wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 19:56
Chris5156 wrote:It’s possible that the junction isn’t signposted as J3 because it is now permanently off the motorway - it’s simply the first junction on the A6 after the M22 ends. If so, that’s a slightly silly decision; the M22 should really end at the junction and not before it.
M56 Dunkirk as precedent?
And not forgetting the A14 at Catthorpe of course!
Don't forget the temporary spontaneous motorway of the A1(M) south of Hook Moor
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by Peter350 »

nowster wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 22:00
Peter350 wrote:
nowster wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 19:56 M56 Dunkirk as precedent?
And not forgetting the A14 at Catthorpe of course!
Don't forget the temporary spontaneous motorway of the A1(M) south of Hook Moor
Where abouts? Is this due to roadworks?
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by Berk »

The Hook Moor scheme was built 15-16 years ago. But before then, the A1/M1 link just ended suddenly on the A1 - there was no motorway for it to end on.
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

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Chris5156 wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 08:06 It’s possible that the junction isn’t signposted as J3 because it is now permanently off the motorway - it’s simply the first junction on the A6 after the M22 ends. If so, that’s a slightly silly decision; the M22 should really end at the junction and not before it.
... and considering it's unlikely that the two sections of the M2 will ever be joined together, I don't know why they don't renumber the M22 as the M2, and call the Ballymena bypass something else, like M26.
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by spacetweek »

Yes, all the references on this thread to M22 are reminding me of the numbering issues.

The reason for the M2/M22 numbering is because the 1960s motorway plan was to have the Belfast-Derry road go via Coleraine. But that ship has now very firmly sailed as most of the A6 is being replaced with dual. It's now clear you're meant to travel via the M2/M22/A6. The motorways should be renumbered to reflect that.

Either M26 or A26(M).
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by A42_Sparks »

spacetweek wrote: Wed Aug 14, 2019 12:47the 1960s motorway plan was to have the Belfast-Derry road go via Coleraine.
The M23 to Derry would have branched off the M2 long before it reached Coleraine, probably around the Ballymoney area.

A lot of people seem to worry about the numbering of the M22 and M2 Ballymena bypass but IMO renumbering is pointless - both motorways are less than five miles long, they've been numbered that way for over 40 years, those who live here seem to cope with it fine and probably don't even use road numbers when navigating anyway.
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by nowster »

Numbering isn't just for locals, who probably just call it "the motorway".
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by spacetweek »

I've no doubt the locals are fine with it, it's everyone else I'm considering.

Strange about Ballymoney. Not how I would have expected. Traffic surveys from the time must have found more travel demand between Bf-Coleraine compared to Bf-Derry.
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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by A42_Sparks »

nowster wrote: Wed Aug 14, 2019 14:48 Numbering isn't just for locals, who probably just call it "the motorway".
Locals tend to refer to both the entire Belfast-Randalstown route and the Ballymena section as 'the M2'.
spacetweek wrote: Wed Aug 14, 2019 15:23 I've no doubt the locals are fine with it, it's everyone else I'm considering.
It isn't really a problem, all routes are well signed with destinations. I'd be surprised if anyone managed to get lost simply due to there being two unconnected roads called 'M2'.
spacetweek wrote: Wed Aug 14, 2019 15:23Strange about Ballymoney. Not how I would have expected. Traffic surveys from the time must have found more travel demand between Bf-Coleraine compared to Bf-Derry.
Probably more due to the unionist government at the time. The M2 planned to Coleraine not Derry and the M1 to Dungannon instead of Dublin. No motorways were planned for much of the west of Northern Ireland:

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Re: A6(NI) dualling to start

Post by Johnathan404 »

A42_Sparks wrote: Wed Aug 14, 2019 14:45 A lot of people seem to worry about the numbering of the M22 and M2 Ballymena bypass but IMO renumbering is pointless - both motorways are less than five miles long, they've been numbered that way for over 40 years, those who live here seem to cope with it fine and probably don't even use road numbers when navigating anyway.
In general I take the view that few people in the real world care about road numbers and people on here get way too emotionally attached to them.

However, events like this reveal why numbers are important. All the publicity around M22 J3 / time to M22 J3 / improvements to M22 are pointless if nobody can remember which one the M22 is or which end is J1.

Though I wouldn't recommend toying with established numbers just to make a completed roadworks project easier to understand. Besides once you start tidying Northern Ireland's road numbering, where do you stop?
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