Obscure M4 Junction

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SteveA30
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Obscure M4 Junction

Post by SteveA30 »

What is this e/bnd only junction for? Between J14 & 13

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Welfo ... 3?hl=en-GB
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Re: Obscure M4 Junction

Post by Phil »

SteveA30 wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 21:02 What is this e/bnd only junction for? Between J14 & 13

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Welfo ... 3?hl=en-GB
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Re: Obscure M4 Junction

Post by Sunil_of_Yoxley »

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Re: Obscure M4 Junction

Post by KeithW »

Sunil_of_Yoxley wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 21:11 There are a couple of junctions like that on the M11

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.9812155 ... !1e3?hl=en

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.6691184 ... !1e3?hl=en
The first looks like an emergency access/escape route for trapped traffic as its on a lengthy section between junctions while the second is an access to a Highways England depot
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Re: Obscure M4 Junction

Post by Micro The Maniac »

SteveA30 wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 21:02 What is this e/bnd only junction for? Between J14 & 13

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Welfo ... 3?hl=en-GB
If you select Satellite view, it is quite apparent!
Paul7755
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Re: Obscure M4 Junction

Post by Paul7755 »

Micro The Maniac wrote: Mon Aug 02, 2021 07:38
SteveA30 wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 21:02 What is this e/bnd only junction for? Between J14 & 13

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Welfo ... 3?hl=en-GB
If you select Satellite view, it is quite apparent!
Interesting that the Google street view cameras have been up to the gate and chopsticks. Also some views show the usual “works access only” sign.
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Re: Obscure M4 Junction

Post by M4Simon »

Paul7755 wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 11:03
Micro The Maniac wrote: Mon Aug 02, 2021 07:38
SteveA30 wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 21:02 What is this e/bnd only junction for? Between J14 & 13

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Welfo ... 3?hl=en-GB
If you select Satellite view, it is quite apparent!
Interesting that the Google street view cameras have been up to the gate and chopsticks. Also some views show the usual “works access only” sign.
At one time the Works unit only signs were not the "usual" kind: https://goo.gl/maps/VyvpZ98XipYzcfNr7

It appears that the MOD style signs were replaced in 2015 or 2016. - click forward from the streetview image linked above.

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Re: Obscure M4 Junction

Post by Ritchie333 »

SteveA30 wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 21:02 What is this e/bnd only junction for? Between J14 & 13

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Welfo ... 3?hl=en-GB
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Re: Obscure M4 Junction

Post by crazyknightsfan »

Paul7755 wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 11:03
Micro The Maniac wrote: Mon Aug 02, 2021 07:38
SteveA30 wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 21:02 What is this e/bnd only junction for? Between J14 & 13

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Welfo ... 3?hl=en-GB
If you select Satellite view, it is quite apparent!
Interesting that the Google street view cameras have been up to the gate and chopsticks. Also some views show the usual “works access only” sign.
Is anyone keen to see if the chopsticks sign with its back to the M4 has anything unusual on it?
https://goo.gl/maps/Qg8QosNNW9ya4YRt5
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Re: Obscure M4 Junction

Post by SteveA30 »

I did check the Wiki M4 section to see if it was there. When it wasn't mentioned, I assumed it was not known about, as unlikely as that seemed.....
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Re: Obscure M4 Junction

Post by M4Simon »

SteveA30 wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 22:08 I did check the Wiki M4 section to see if it was there. When it wasn't mentioned, I assumed it was not known about, as unlikely as that seemed.....
Feel free to add it to the M4 article!

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From the SABRE Wiki: M4 :


The M4 is the London to South Wales Motorway. Running for about 190 miles from Chiswick in the west of the capital to a point some 12 miles southeast of Carmarthen in west Wales, it passes such important centres of population and industry as Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff, and Swansea. The route forms the bulk of the E30's Fishguard to Felixstowe route in the UK.


The road into London is one of few examples of truly urban

... Read More
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Re: Obscure M4 Junction

Post by M4 Cardiff »

Thought I'd continue here rather than start a new thread since it is also a somewhat overprovisioned 'works access only' but what's the story behind the overprovisioned works access / junction thing on the M1 half way between J14 and 15 https://www.google.com/maps/@52.1460832 ... a=!3m1!1e3

Is it simply to allow county-based emergency services to access 'their' section without having to go the long way around or was there perhaps something else planned here back when the M1 was built?
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Chris Bertram
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Re: Obscure M4 Junction

Post by Chris Bertram »

M4 Cardiff wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 20:25 Thought I'd continue here rather than start a new thread since it is also a somewhat overprovisioned 'works access only' but what's the story behind the overprovisioned works access / junction thing on the M1 half way between J14 and 15 https://www.google.com/maps/@52.1460832 ... a=!3m1!1e3

Is it simply to allow county-based emergency services to access 'their' section without having to go the long way around or was there perhaps something else planned here back when the M1 was built?
Looks like a turn-round facility to me.
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Re: Obscure M4 Junction

Post by trickstat »

Chris Bertram wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 21:08
M4 Cardiff wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 20:25 Thought I'd continue here rather than start a new thread since it is also a somewhat overprovisioned 'works access only' but what's the story behind the overprovisioned works access / junction thing on the M1 half way between J14 and 15 https://www.google.com/maps/@52.1460832 ... a=!3m1!1e3

Is it simply to allow county-based emergency services to access 'their' section without having to go the long way around or was there perhaps something else planned here back when the M1 was built?
Looks like a turn-round facility to me.
I can understand the need for a turn-round as it is near the Bucks/Northants border and it's a long gap between junctions.
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Re: Obscure M4 Junction

Post by Chris5156 »

Chris Bertram wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 21:08
M4 Cardiff wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 20:25 Thought I'd continue here rather than start a new thread since it is also a somewhat overprovisioned 'works access only' but what's the story behind the overprovisioned works access / junction thing on the M1 half way between J14 and 15 https://www.google.com/maps/@52.1460832 ... a=!3m1!1e3

Is it simply to allow county-based emergency services to access 'their' section without having to go the long way around or was there perhaps something else planned here back when the M1 was built?
Looks like a turn-round facility to me.
Yes, it's just a turnaround point between junctions.
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RichardA35
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Re: Obscure M4 Junction

Post by RichardA35 »

Chris5156 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 09:47
Chris Bertram wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 21:08
M4 Cardiff wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 20:25 Thought I'd continue here rather than start a new thread since it is also a somewhat overprovisioned 'works access only' but what's the story behind the overprovisioned works access / junction thing on the M1 half way between J14 and 15 https://www.google.com/maps/@52.1460832 ... a=!3m1!1e3

Is it simply to allow county-based emergency services to access 'their' section without having to go the long way around or was there perhaps something else planned here back when the M1 was built?
Looks like a turn-round facility to me.
Yes, it's just a turnaround point between junctions.
Also, as it may have slipped from memories, up until c. 1995 and the formation of the Highways Agency, boundaries of trunk road maintenance units were based upon county boundaries and some of these still persist today.
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