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M2

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M2
Location Map ( geo)
Cameraicon.png View gallery (107)
Medway Towns Bypass
From:  Strood (TQ699695)
To:  Brenley Corner (TR040599)
Distance:  25.5 miles (41 km)
Meets:  A2, A228, A229, A249, A2, A299
Former Number(s):  A2(M)
Highway Authorities

National Highways

Traditional Counties

Kent

Route outline (key)
M2 Strood - Brenley Corner
Junction List
Junc Eastbound Westbound
1 Start of Motorway A2, A289
2 A228 A228
Bridge Medway Viaducts
3 A229 A229
4 A278 A278
Services symbol.gif Medway services
(formerly Farthing Corner)
5 A249 A249
5A B2005 B2005
6 A251 A251
7 A2, A299 Start of Motorway
This article is about the motorway in Great Britain.
For the motorway in Northern Ireland, see M2 (Northern Ireland)
.
For the motorway in the Republic of Ireland, see M2 (Republic of Ireland).
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For detailed information about this topic, see Roads.org.uk Motorway Database

The M2 is a motorway in the north of Kent. It forms a bypass of the Medway Towns.

Route

These are the Medway Viaducts seen from the Merrals Shaw Interchange.

Main Article: M2 route

The M2 is the shortest of all the single-digit motorways. It main role is to act as the Medway Towns Bypass. Originally allocated the number A2(M), it gained the M2 number from a newspaper report. The road opened in 1963.

Opening Dates

For detailed information about this section, see CBRD Motorway Database: M2 Timeline

History

This is the original Medway Bridge just after opening in 1963.

Main Article: M2 history

The M2 has changed from its opening in 1963. This is how the M2 looked upon opening. It is D2M with a single bridge.

The 7 Junctions

Park Pale Interchange

Park Pale Interchange.png

Main Article: Park Pale Interchange

The first junction before the upgrade was infamous for the point where the motorway was a lower standard than the A-road, in this case the A2. These days, the junction is a trumpet–fork hybrid.

Merrals Shaw Interchange

Merrals Shaw Interchange.png

Main Article: Merrals Shaw Interchange

The second of the junctions to be rebuilt, this one (for the A228) was turned from a parclo to a dumbbell hybrid interchange. It was also rebuilt to accommodate HS1.

Bluebell Interchange

Bluebell Interchange.png

Main Article: Bluebell Interchange

The last of the junctions to be substantially rebuilt, the Bluebell interchange was upgraded while keeping the M2 and the A229 running at the same time. It is a double roundabout.

Gillingham Interchange

Gillingham Interchange.png

Main Article: Gillingham Interchange

This junction is the point where the M2 becomes D2M. It is junction 4 with the A278 for Gillingham and is a standard roundabout.

The Ridgeway

The Ridgeway.png

Main Article: The Ridgeway
A fairly low-standard junction, its overbridge can be seen for miles around. This junction is used to get onto the A249 Sheppey Way. Also used for the M20. As of the early 2020s, it is currently being upgraded.

Perry Court Interchange

Perry Street Interchange.png

Main Article: Perry Court Interchange
The penultimate junction of the M2 is to the lowest standard on the whole motorway. It is a S2 parclo interchange for the A251.

Brenley Corner

Brenley Corner Interchange.png

Main Article: Brenley Corner Interchange

Brenley Corner is the last junction of the M2. It pre-dates the M2 as it was the main junction for Whitstable and Herne Bay. A2 traffic has to turn off here and the main line of the road becomes the A299.

Services

Medway Services

Medway Services, M2.jpg

Main Article: Medway services

These services are roughly half way along the motorway. They are a traditional overbridge-style MSA.

Traffic Data

From http://www.dft.gov.uk/traffic-counts/

Link 2002 AADF 2006 AADF 2010 AADF 2014 AADF
J1-2 61954 81678 82284 93503
J2-3 62704 81164 80011 93727
J3-4 54523 70651 67410 76111
J4-5 51645 62129 75823 64247
J5-6 49012 57804 58199 58987
J6-7 47558 55063 52672 55424
J7 27439 36204 33160 32659


Links

Roads.org.uk

Motorway Archive

Motorway Services Online

Roads UK

You Tube


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This page was a candidate for Article of the Month August 2009

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M2
Junctions
Services
Crossings
Places
Miscellaneous
Related Pictures
View gallery (107)
Junction 5, M2 motorway.jpgM2 between Wrens Road and Stiff Street - Geograph - 4072.jpgM2 Medway Services Bridge - Coppermine - 10350.jpgM2 4 - A229 junction - Coppermine - 464.jpgM2 Farthing Corner Service Area under construction - Coppermine - 154.jpg
Other nearby roads
Strood
Rochester
Chatham
Gillingham
Faversham
Motorways in Great Britain
Current MotorwaysM1 • M2 • M3 • M4 • M5 • M6 • M6 Toll • M8 • M9 • M11 • M18 • M20 • M23 • M25 • M26 • M27 • M32 • M40 • M42 • M45 • M48 • M49 • M50 • M53 • M54 • M55 • M56 • M57 • M58 • M60 • M61 • M62 • M65 • M66 • M67 • M69 • M73 • M74 • M77 • M80 • M90 • M180 • M181 • M271 • M275 • M602 • M606 • M621 • M876 • M898
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A2(M) • A4(M) • A5(M) • A8(M) • A11(M) • A18(M) • A20(M) • A21(M) • A23(M) • A36(M) • A40(M) (Central London) • A40(M) (Buckinghamshire) • A41(M) • A46(M) • A48(M) (Morriston) • A48(M) (Port Talbot) • A65(M) • A102(M) (North) • A102(M) (South) • A423(M) • A446(M) • A604(M) • A638(M) • A696(M) • A1231(M) • A6127(M) • A6138(M) • A6144(M)
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A2(M) • A6(M) (West) • A6(M) (East) • A14(M) • A48(M) • A59(M) • A61(M) • A556(M) • A695(M)
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