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Great Barr Interchange

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Great Barr Interchange
Location Map ( geo)
M6 interchange Great Barr - Geograph - 1490778.jpg
Cameraicon.png View gallery (14)
Location
Walsall
County
Staffordshire
Highway Authority
National Highways
Junction Type
Unique
Roads Joined
M6, A34
Between 1970 and 1972, the junction was a temporary terminus of M6 prior to the opening of the section to J6

The Great Barr Interchange is junction 7 of the M6, intersecting with the A34 between Walsall and Birmingham. Whilst at first glance it appears to be a 3-level stacked roundabout, the west facing sliproads are attached to the inside of the roundabout instead, probably because of the M5 nearby along with the lack of space between the westbound M6 and the northern end of the northbound exit sliproad from the A34. As a result, the interchange works slightly differently to a roundabout. Another unusual feature that is very rarely seen with 2-level roundabout interchanges, 3-level stacked roundabout interchanges or roundabouts in general, is the absence of stop lines and other give way lines on the roundabout with the exception of the southern end of the A34 southbound exit sliproad. Combined with the absence of traffic lights on the roundabout, this feature in effect makes this interchange almost fully free flowing with many movements catered for by a circular sequence of lane gain from and lane drop to the sliproads, all around the roundabout. Unfortunately the very short weaving spaces on the eastern side of the roundabout severely reduce the safety and effectiveness of this interchange.

History

Early design for the junction

Designs for this junction were compromised by its close proximity to the M5. The earliest known plan shows a standard roundabout interchange sited to the east of the present junction with a short spur connecting it to the A34. The idea of this layout is to maximise the distance between the west facing slips and junction 8.

1962 design

A slightly later design again shows a standard roundabout interchange but now it's situated in its present location which brings the west facing slip roads close to the M5. To overcome this the eastbound exit slip has been lengthened and leaves the M6 before the M5 joins. However there is no similar treatment for the equivalent westbound movements. This may have been a factor in the rejection of this layout.

Routes

Route To Notes

M6

The NORTH WEST & Stafford, The SOUTH WEST & Worcester (M5)

M6

London (M1), Coventry

A34

Walsall

A34

Birmingham, Perry Barr, Newtown, University of Central England, Container Base

Strip Maps


Links



Great Barr Interchange
Related Pictures
View gallery (14)
Great Barr gantry.jpgM6 Birmingham - Coppermine - 13860.jpgScott Arms.jpgM6 Junction 7.jpgM6 Junction 7 - Coppermine - 1956.jpg
Other nearby junctions
Walsall
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 • Gravelly Hill • 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 A34
Winchester - WendleburyWinnall • Kings Worthy • Three Maids Hill • Bullington Cross • Tufton • Litchfield • Beacon Hill • Tot Hill • Andover Road • Speen • Donnington • Chieveley Interchange • Beedon • East Ilsley • West Ilsley • Chilton • Milton • Marcham • Lodge Hill • Hinksey Hill • South Hinksey • Botley • Peartree • Kidlington • Islip • Weston-on-the-Green • Wendlebury
Oxford - Solihull (former)Wolvercote Roundabout • Peartree Interchange • Peartree Hill Roundabout • Southcombe • Monkspath
       Solihull - Salford       Monkspath • Camp Hill Circus • Lancaster Circus • New Town Row • Perry Barr • The Scott Arms • Great Barr • The Bell • Churchbridge • Queen's Square • Beecroft Island • Pottal Pool • Weeping Cross • Creswell • Aston Roundabout • Darlaston Inn Roundabout • Grosvenor Roundabout • Hanford • Blackfriars Roundabout • Knutton Lane Roundabout • Milehouse Roundabout • Wolstanton Roundabout • Talke • Red Bull Crossroads • Quarry Roundabout • Monks Heath Crossroads • Gilbent • Kingsway Interchange • Sackville Street Junction


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