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Gravelly Hill

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Gravelly Hill
Location Map ( geo)
Land based transport - it's all here - Geograph - 1375529.jpg
Cameraicon.png View gallery (18)
Location
Gravelly Hill
County
Warwickshire
Highway Authority
National Highways
Junction Type
Unique
Roads Joined
M6, A38(M), A38, A5127
Junctions related to the A5127

The infamous Spaghetti Junction, Gravelly Hill provides the interchange between the M6, A38(M), A38, A5127 and an unclassified road. It forms junction 6 of the M6. Movements are facilitated by means of a complex array of slip roads and a roundabout (called Salford Circus). All movements are possible except between the unclassified road and the A38(M), and between the A38(M) and the southbound A5127.

The nickname Spaghetti Junction is believed to have come from a journalist's remark in the mid 1960s, that described the then under construction junction as "cross between a plate of spaghetti and an unsuccessful attempt at a Staffordshire knot."

Salford Circus, the roundabout underneath the main interchange

Despite its complicated appearance, Gravelly Hill is easy to negotiate because all of the movements are well signposted. Nevertheless, its reputation precedes itself enough to be voted the second most scariest junction in the UK in a 2007 BBC poll, and again as Britain's scariest road by Britannia Rescue, a breakdown firm.

In 1998 unusual diamond markings were painted between lanes one and two of the M6 westbound. Following a trial at the TRL lab, the new markings were joined by yellow signs explaining to through traffic "new road markings ahead" and "stay in lane through [diamond] markings": the theory was that this would reduce collisions approaching the junction. This was considered a success and the markings remained.

History

Early design for the junction

Early plans of the M6 showed a different design for the junction consisting of an elongated roundabout. This simpler design pre-dates plans for the A38(M) which the city council proposed much later.

The interchange was one of the last sections of M6 to be completed until the Cumberland Gap extension in 2008. The A38(M) meant a more complexed junction was required to handle the expected level of traffic. Tenders for construction were announced by the then transport minister, Richard Marsh, in July 1968, with construction starting later in the year. It opened to traffic on 24th May 1972 at a cost of £10.9M (approx 113M in 2011).

In a press release when the junction opened, the engineers claimed it had been "carefully designed to provide for all the movements and yet keep the effect on land and property to a minimum". It was built mostly over allotments and a boating lake, with the River Tame and canal needing to be realigned.

The completion of the last section of the M6 through the Midlands had a knock on effect of traffic, much of which diverted from the A5 onto the new motorway. By the late 1970s, urban road building of this style had fallen out of favour, with local MP Robin Hodgson noting that many residents had complained about the increased noise along the whole stretch of M6 in the area. Similarly, Julius Silverman, then MP for Birmingham Erdington, had called for noise screening barriers to be erected around the junction.

In 2012, the junction was used as part of an art exhibition for Birmingham's Fierce Festival.

Routes

Route To Notes

M6

The NORTH WEST & B'ham (N & W), The South West (M5)

M6

London (M1), (M42 & M40), N.E.C & B'ham Airport

A38(M)

B'ham (City, E & Cen.) no access to Salford Circus

A38

(M6 Toll (N)), Birmingham (NE), Lichfield, Fort Shopping Park

A5127

Sutton Coldfield 4, Erdington 1 1/2

A5127

City Centre 4, Aston 1 3/4, Fort Dunlop
Stockland Green 3/4, Ellenki Kypraiki Estia Orthodox Church of St Lukes, Ghausia Mosque

Strip Maps

Links

BBC News




Gravelly Hill
Related Pictures
View gallery (18)
M6 Spaghetti - Coppermine - 22807.jpgOptimistic 1975 Esso Motorway Map 3 - Coppermine - 834.jpgM6 Gravelly Hill, May 72 - Coppermine - 19719.jpgGravelly Hill early design.pngIMG 5773.jpg
Other nearby junctions
Birmingham
Ashted Circus • Belgrave Interchange • Bickenhill Interchange • Birches Green • Bordesley Circus • Camp Hill Circus • Castle Bromwich Interchange • Catshill Interchange • Coleshill Interchange • Copt Hill Interchange • Curzon Circus • Dartmouth Circus • Five Ways (Birmingham) • Garrison Circus • Gooch Street • Great Barr Interchange • Haden Circus • Heybarne's Circus • Hockley Circus • Holloway Circus • Hopwood Park Interchange • Key Hill Circus • Ladywood Circus • Lancaster Circus • Lister Street • Longbridge Island (Birmingham) • Lucas Circus • Lydiate Ash • M42 J5A • Masshouse Circus • Minworth Island • Monkspath Interchange • New Town Row • Oldbury Interchange • Paradise Circus • Park Circus • Perry Barr • Perry Barr Interchange • Poets Corner • Quinton Interchange • Ray Hall • Spitfire Island • Spring Hill • St Chads Circus • St Martins Circus • Stonebridge Interchange • Summer Lane • Swan Island • The Black Horse Junction • The Isaac Tongue Junction • The Norton Crossroads • The Scott Arms • Tyburn House Island • Umberslade Interchange • Warstone Lane • Water Orton Interchange • Wells Green • West Bromwich Interchange • Wheeleys Lane • Yew Tree Island
Junctions on the M6
PresentM1 J19 Catthorpe • 1 Junction 1 • 2 Ansty • 3 Exhall • 3A/4 Coleshill • 4A Water Orton • 5 Castle Bromwich • 6 Gravelly Hill • 7 Great Barr • 8 Ray Hall • 9 Wednesbury • 10 Bentley • 10A Essington • 11 Laney Green • 11A Saredon • 12 Gailey • 13 Dunston • 14 Creswell • 15 Hanchurch • 16 Barthomley • 17 Sandbach • 18 Middlewich • 19 Tabley • 20 Lymm • 21 Woolston • 21A Croft • 22 Winwick • 23 Haydock Island • 24 Junction 24 • 25 Bryn • 26 Orrell • 27 Junction 27 • 28 Leyland • 29 Bamber Bridge • 30 Blacow Bridge • 31 Samlesbury • 31A Haighton • 32 Broughton • 33 Hampson Green • 34 Lune Valley • 35 Carnforth • 36 Crooklands • 37 Killington • 38 Tebay • 39 Shap • 40 Skirsgill • 41 Catterlen • 42 Golden Fleece • 43 Rosehill • 44 Kingstown • 45 Guards Mill
Former32A Broughton Roundabout • 35A Keer Level Roundabout
Unbuilt"6A" Perry Barr • "10A" Short Heath • "14A" M6 "Expressway" • "14A" M64 • "15A" M6 "Expressway" • "16A" M6 "Expressway" • "27A" Euxton • "33A" "Junction 33A"
Unenacted Extension to Glasgow"46" Gretna • "47" Kirkpatrick Fleming • "48" Eaglesfield • "49" Ecclefechan • "50" Lockerbie South • "51" Lockerbie North • "52" Johnstonebridge • "53" Beattock • "54" Elvanfoot & Crawford • "55" Abington • "56" Millbank • "57" Poniel • "58" Wellburn • "59" M74 Junction 9 • "60" Canderside Toll • "61" Larkhall • "62" Hamilton • "63" Raith • "64" Maryville • "65" Daldowie • "66" Carmyle Avenue • "67" Fullarton Road • "68" Cambuslang Road • "69" Polmadie Road • "70" Kingston
M6 TollColeshill • T1 Dunton • T2 Junction T2 • T3 Langley Mill • T4 Weeford • T5 Wall Island • T6 Brownhills  • T7 Churchbridge • T8 Wedges Mills • 11A Saredon
Junctions on the A38
Bodmin - ExeterCallywith • Toll Gate House • Carminow Cross • Turfdown Roundabout • Twelvewoods Roundabout • Looe Mills • Moorswater • Island Shop • Lean Quarry • Menheniot • Trerulefoot Roundabout • Notter Bridge • Stoketon Cross • Latchbrook • Carkeel Roundabout • Saltash Town • St Budeaux • Weston Mill • Manadon • Forder Valley • Marsh Mills • Deep Lane • Voss Farm • Smithaleigh • Lee Mill • Westover • Wrangaton Cross • Woodpecker • Marley Head • Drybridge • Lower Dean • Dart Bridge • Peartree • Linhay Hill • Goodstone Cross • Drumbridges • Clay Lane • Chudleigh Station • Harcombe • Haldon • Splatford Split • Kennford • Wobbly Wheel • Pearce's Hill • Cullumpton
Tiverton - BristolTiverton Parkway • Waterloo Cross • Maiden Down • Perry Elm Roundabout • Chelston Roundabout • Chelston • Creech Castle • Walford Cross • Huntworth • Cross Rifles Roundabout • Dunball Roundabout • Edithmead • Cornhill • East Brent Roundabout • Cross • Churchill Gate Crossroads • Barrow Tanks • Lime Kiln Roundabout • Bedminster Bridge
Bristol - BirminghamSt James Barton • Filton Roundabout • Aztec West • Almondsbury Roundabout • Cross Keys Roundabout • Waterwells Roundabout • Wall's Roundabout • Coombe Hill • Gupshill Roundabout • Twyning • Rashwood • Slideshow Island • Harvester Island • Lydiate Ash • The Black Horse Junction • The Isaac Tongue Junction • Belgrave Interchange • Holloway Circus  • Paradise Circus  • St Chads Circus  • Lancaster Circus  • Dartmouth Circus • Park Circus
Birmingham - MansfieldGravelly Hill • Salford Circus • Birches Green • The Norton Crossroads • Tyburn House Island • Minworth Island • Langely Mill • Bassetts Pole • Weeford • Swinfen • Streethay • Hillards Cross • Barton Turn • Branston Junction • Clay Mills • Toyota Island • Findern • Kingsway Roundabout • Markeaton Island • Palm Court Island • Little Eaton Roundabout • Coxbench • Hartshay • Alfreton • Pinxton


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