The longest possible stint.....

[Gav]

Yup...

That time again - with some of the motorways being completed in Scotland I have been thinking on the longest possible distance using motorways...

1. must not leave motorway restrictions. the road must be under motorway restrictions.

2. all parts of the motorway can be used. slip roads roundabouts etc.. as long as they are under motorway restriction. pass an end of motorway sign then its over.

3. can not be on the same section twice. you can be on different sides, on overpasses or underpasses but not on the same section of road that you have been on.

4. assume fuel tank will be infinite....

5. assume a ready supply of redbull....

Just how far could you eck it out on the UK motorway system. just how many miles could you manage to cover without duplication ?

Id imagine with the scottish network being completed then this distance would be somewhat impressive ?

who can manage the longest distance.

[AnOrdinarySABREUser]

Technically, you could drive on the M60 forever since it never ends.

Answering the question as intended, I'd start on the M20 at Folkestone, go down the M3, turn around at the M271, go back up the M3, get onto the M4 and then go up via the M5 and M6. Have a little drive around Glasgow then stop at Stirling. Not optimal but it's a start.

[Lockwood]

My go-to for "longest continual motorway journey" is the M27/M271 roundabout.
With an infinite fuel tank, you can just do that forever.

Probably not in the spirit of the question

[wallmeerkat]

Technically, you could drive on the M60 forever since it never ends.

Answering the question as intended, I'd start on the M20 at Folkestone, go down the M3, turn around at the M271, go back up the M3, get onto the M4 and then go up via the M5 and M6. Have a little drive around Glasgow then stop at Stirling. Not optimal but it's a start.

I'd have followed the M9 to the FRB / M90 and terminated at Perth

[Gav]

Technically, you could drive on the M60 forever since it never ends.

Answering the question as intended, I'd start on the M20 at Folkestone, go down the M3, turn around at the M271, go back up the M3, get onto the M4 and then go up via the M5 and M6. Have a little drive around Glasgow then stop at Stirling. Not optimal but it's a start.

3. can not be on the same section twice. you can be on different sides, on overpasses or underpasses but not on the same section of road that you have been on.

[Gav]

My go-to for "longest continual motorway journey" is the M27/M271 roundabout.
With an infinite fuel tank, you can just do that forever.

Probably not in the spirit of the question

3. can not be on the same section twice. you can be on different sides, on overpasses or underpasses but not on the same section of road that you have been on.

[Gav]

Technically, you could drive on the M60 forever since it never ends.

Answering the question as intended, I'd start on the M20 at Folkestone, go down the M3, turn around at the M271, go back up the M3, get onto the M4 and then go up via the M5 and M6. Have a little drive around Glasgow then stop at Stirling. Not optimal but it's a start.

I'd have followed the M9 to the FRB / M90 and terminated at Perth

sadly there is that short section of A90 between the two sections of M90 that stops that.

[wallmeerkat]

Technically, you could drive on the M60 forever since it never ends.

Answering the question as intended, I'd start on the M20 at Folkestone, go down the M3, turn around at the M271, go back up the M3, get onto the M4 and then go up via the M5 and M6. Have a little drive around Glasgow then stop at Stirling. Not optimal but it's a start.

I'd have followed the M9 to the FRB / M90 and terminated at Perth

sadly there is that short section of A90 between the two sections of M90 that stops that.

Yes you're right! Surprised they didn't run non-motorway parallel carraigeway alongside the M90. Maybe just a loop back round the M9/M8 then.

[RichardA35]

I've got to somewhere about 1250 miles
M275Portsmouth - M27 - M3 - M25 - M20 J8 - M26 - M25 - M23 J9 - M25 - M4 - M4J22 - M5 - M42 - M6 - M69 - M1 - M18 - M180 - M181 "New" rbt - M180 - M18 - M1 - M25 - M40 - M42 - M5 - M6 - M62 - M60 ACW - M62 - M621 - M1 - M62 - M60 - M61 - M65 - M6 - A74(M) - M74 - M73 - M8 - M9 - M876 - M80 - M8 - M73 - M80 Dunblane

although heading back down the M6 and M5 from Coatbridge to Exeter would probably be longer.

[Vierwielen]

I see that by a quirk of geography, one has to select either British motorways or Northern Ireland motorways as teh two sets are disconnected (I am assuming that if motorways exist that feed directly into the ferry ports (as is done on the Channel Tunnel termini), then the two would be linked, but they are not.

[wallmeerkat]

I see that by a quirk of geography, one has to select either British motorways or Northern Ireland motorways as teh two sets are disconnected (I am assuming that if motorways exist that feed directly into the ferry ports (as is done on the Channel Tunnel termini), then the two woudl b elinked, but they are not.

NI motorways tend to have junctions and terminations that are non-motorway. M22 - M2 - M3 is 22 miles.

There is 1 junction that is all motorway - M12 Ballynacor - if you follow the M1, M12 and turn around here it is 48 miles.

RoI might be interesting, traditionally a hub-and-spoke model from Dublin but some of the spokes are being connected eg. M17/M18 but there are all-purpose road connections.

[jabbaboy]

This has to be stupidily long ie something like.

A194(M) -> A1(M) -> M1 -> M25 -> M3 -> M27 -> Turn around at M271 -> M27 -> M3 -> M25 -> M40 -> M42 -> M6 -> M5 -> M4 -> Turn around at Heathrow -> M4 -> M5 -> M6 -> M42 -> M40 ->M25 -> M1 -> M6 -> M6 Toll -> M6 -> A74(M) -> M74 -> M73 -> M80 -> M876 -> M9 -> M8 -> Turn around at M73 -> M8 -> M9 -> M876 -> M80 -> M73 -> M74 -> A74(M) -> M6 -> M65 -> M61 -> M60 -> M62 -> M18 -> M180 -> M181 (Turn around) -> M180 -> M18 -> Turn around A1(M) -> M18 -> M62 -> A627(M) -> Turn around -> A627(M) -> M62 -> M60 -> Turn around at M62 -> M60 -> M61 -> M65 -> M6 -> M6 Toll -> M6 -> M69 -> M1 -> A1(M) -> A194(M)

How many miles, god knows - a lot.

[Glenn A]

Start on the M5 near Exeter, then M6, A74(M), M74, M80, M80, M90, more or less the motorway route from Exeter to Perth.

[RichardA35]

Start on the M5 near Exeter, then M6, A74(M), M74, M80, M80, M90, more or less the motorway route from Exeter to Perth.

But, according to the "rules" of this question, if you can turn round under motorway restrictions, and not go on the same section twice, then you could head back down south on the opposite carriageway doubling the length.

[Micro The Maniac]

Yup...

That time again - with some of the motorways being completed in Scotland I have been thinking on the longest possible distance using motorways...

Maybe we need a Wiki page of non-freeflow motorway junctions under motorway regulations... to start:

• M27/M271
• A1(M)/M18
• M60/M62 Simister Island
• M18/M180
• M4/Heathrow Spur
• M181/A1077(M)

I can't immediately think of any more But I'm sure there are...

[jabbaboy]

Yup...

That time again - with some of the motorways being completed in Scotland I have been thinking on the longest possible distance using motorways...

Maybe we need a Wiki page of non-freeflow motorway junctions under motorway regulations... to start:

• M27/M271
• A1(M)/M18
• M60/M62 Simister Island
• M18/M180
• M4/Heathrow Spur
• M181/A1077(M)

I can't immediately think of any more But I'm sure there are...

M1/M62
M4/A308(M)/A404(M)
M4/M32
M5/M50
M6/M65
M61/M65
M8/A8(M)/M73

[SteelCamel]

Start on the M5 near Exeter, then M6, A74(M), M74, M80, M80, M90, more or less the motorway route from Exeter to Perth.

But, according to the "rules" of this question, if you can turn round under motorway restrictions, and not go on the same section twice, then you could head back down south on the opposite carriageway doubling the length.

Yes, I think the longest straightforward route is to start and finish at M5 J31 (Exeter) then go to Scotland on the M5/M6/A74(M)/M74. Then take the M73, and the M8 - you need to use the roundabout but it's under motorway regulations. Then M9, M876, M80 and M73, and you can go back to Exeter on the opposite carriageway.
Though you can certainly insert some more loops. I think you can divert to London down the M4 and back up the M40, then M6/M69/M1/M62/M6 (only works northbound).