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Lawrence Weston Interchange

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Lawrence Weston Interchange
Location Map ( geo)
Junction 18A on the M5 northbound - Geograph - 1095108.jpg
Cameraicon.png View gallery (7)
County
Gloucestershire
Highway Authority
National Highways
Junction Type
Unique
Roads Joined
M5, M49, A4, B4054
Junctions related to the M49
Junctions related to the B4054
Gantry for Junction 18a northbound

The Lawrence Weston Interchange is a complex junction between the M5, M49 and Avonmouth Spur, which leads to the A4. For the M5, it is both Junction 18 and Junction 18A on the M5, but has no junction number on the M49. The interchange itself is free-flow and all movements are possible except for vehicles travelling to or from M49 to the M5 (north).

History

The junction spent a few years as a temporary terminus for the M5, here shown on the 1972 OS One Inch sheet

The junction opened as a temporary terminus for the M5 in 1969 with just the two sliproads leading down to the A4 in Avonmouth, resembling a fork. Extra sliproads were added to make it a trumpet when the Avonmouth Bridge opened in 1974. The junction was then left alone for over 20 years.

In 1996 the Second Severn Crossing scheme was being built on the M4. As part of the scheme, a decision was made to build a new motorway to "cut the corner" between the new crossing and the M5, with the advantage of relieving pressure on the existing M5 / M4 junction at the Almondsbury Interchange. This new motorway, numbered M49, met the M5 just to the north of this junction, which was therefore adapted to allow links between the A4 and M5 south and the M49. Since the M49 is designed to link to the new Severn Crossing, there was no reason to add links from the M49 and M5 north.

The two south facing slips remained unchanged, however the north facing slips were radically altered to fit in with the new M49. The onslip was diverted away from joining the M5 immediately, and instead runs parallel before forking. The left fork joins the M49, whilst the right fork passes under the M5 offslip for the M49 to join the M5 itself. Similarly on the southbound carriageway, the M5 diverge was resited some distance to the north. This allowed it to merge with the M49 , so providing both routes with the option to rejoin the M5, or follow the Spur into Avonmouth.

Routes

Route To Notes

M5

The MIDLANDS, London (M4 E), Chepstow (M48)

M5

The SOUTH WEST, Weston-s-Mare, Exeter, R. Portbury Dock

M49

SOUTH WALES, Cardiff, Newport (M4 W) via M4

A4

City centre, Bristol Airport (A38), Park and Ride, Portview, Avon Riverside & Avonbank Ind. Estates

A4

Avonmouth Docks & Trading Estate, Aust, Severn Beach (A403), Avonmouth Village

B4054

Shirehampton, Avonbridge Trading Estate


Links



Lawrence Weston Interchange
Junctions
Related Pictures
View gallery (7)
Slip road to M5, Junction 18 - Geograph - 131051.jpgM5 J18A.jpgM5 Avon-05 - Coppermine - 1487.jpgM5 J18 original layout.jpgM5M49Jct.png
Other nearby junctions
Bristol
Abbey Wood Roundabout • Almondsbury Interchange • Almondsbury Roundabout • Ashton Gate • Aztec West • Bath Bridge (Bristol) • Bedminster Bridge • Bromley Heath Roundabout • Bryants Hill Interchange • Cabot Circus • Cribbs Causeway • Cumberland Basin • Deanery Road Roundabout • Dramway Roundabout • Eastville Interchange • Feeder Road Interchange • Filton Roundabout • Frenchay Interchange • Gordano Interchange • Gurney Roundabout • Hambrook Interchange • Hambrook Lights • Hicks Gate Roundabout • Kingsfield Roundabout • Lawrence Hill Roundabout • Lime Kiln Roundabout • Lower Ashley Road Interchange • Lyde Green Roundabout • M32 Bus Only Junction • Portway Roundabout (Bristol) • Queen Square (Bristol) • Siston Hill Roundabout • St Brendans Roundabout • St James Barton • Temple Circus • The Rosary Roundabout • Three Lamps Interchange • Tyndalls Park Interchange • Wick Wick Roundabout
Junctions on the M5
M6 (8) Ray Hall • 1 West Bromwich • 2 Oldbury • 3 Quinton • 4 Lydiate Ash • 4A Catshill • 5 Rashwood • 6 Warndon • 7 Crookbarrow • 8 Strensham • 9 Ashchurch • 10 Piffs Elm • 11 Golden Valley • 11A Brockworth • 12 Junction 12 • 13 Stroudwater • 14 Falfield • 15 Almondsbury • 16 Almondsbury Rdbt • 17 Cribbs Causeway • 18 & 18A Lawrence Weston • 19 Gordano • 20 Clevedon • 21 St Georges • 22 Edithmead • 23 Dunball • 24 Huntworth • 25 Blackbrook • Black Brook • 26 Chelston • 27 Tiverton Parkway • 28 Cullompton • 29 Sowton • 30 Sandygate • 31 Pearce's Hill
Junctions on the A4
Monument • Ludgate Circus • Holborn Circus • Trafalgar Square • Charing Cross • Piccadilly Circus • Hyde Park Corner • Scotch House • Hammersmith Flyover • Hogarth Roundabout • Chiswick Roundabout • Brentford • Gillette Corner • Henlys Roundabout • Waggoners Roundabout • Harlington Corner • Concord Roundabout • Moor Junction • Langley • Huntercombe Spur • The Thicket • Sutton Seeds • Theale • Robin Hood Roundabout • Kings Roundabout • Canal Roundabout • Webbington Roundabout • Bridge Roundabout • Rowden Roundabout • The Pheasant • Meuthen Park • Chequers • London Road Junction • Twerton Fork • The Globe • Broadmead • Hicks Gate Roundabout • Bath Bridge • Temple Circus • Cumberland Basin • Lawrence Weston Interchange (Portway Roundabout • St Brendans Roundabout) • St Andrews Gate Roundabout


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