Carnforth Interchange

The temporary bend on the M6 Lancaster Bypass in 1965

By 1972, the junction had been constructed

Junction 35 of the M6 is a motorway junction serving Carnforth, Lancashire.

When the M6 Lancaster bypass was first opened in 1960, there was nothing here but a "temporary bend", a bridge over the Lancaster Canal (with two separate decks, one for each carriageway), and a change in width of the central reservation. (To the south it was wide enough to allow a third lane to be added to each carriageway, to the north-west not). Accidents on the bend caused the "sharp bend ahead" sign to be trialled here.

A roundabout interchange was created here when the mainline was extended north, opening in 1970. The former north end of the bypass became a spur. A new canal bridge was built for the southbound carriageway of the spur, leaving the former southbound deck unused. A footbridge over the M6 mainline a short distance to the south was demolished as it was incompatible with the new slip roads.

In 1985, legislation was enacted to allow the construction of single carriageway road (known as the Carnforth Link), with motorway status. This was opened in 1986 and connected the east side of the roundabout to the nearby B6254, to enable quarry traffic to bypass Carnforth village. This and the old north-westerly spur were given the number A601(M), which is odd as the A601 is quite elsewhere.

In 2020, the Carnforth Link and circulatory carriageway of the roundabout was downgraded to become the non primary B6601, and in 2023 the A601(M) to the north was renumbered A6070.

One study recommended slip roads be provided to the A6070 Burton Road, instead of salvaging the remains of the bypass.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
M6	The North, Kendal, Barrow (A6)
M6	The South, Lancaster, Preston, Blackpool
A6070	Morecambe, Carnforth, Milnthorpe, Services	formerly M6
A601(M)	Morecambe, Carnforth, Milnthorpe, Services	formerly M6
B6601	Kirkby Lonsdale, Over Kellet Quarries	white signs, A601(M) number not signed . Formerly A601(M)
Furness Link	Barrow-in-Furness, Morecambe, Carnforth, Milnthorpe	along A601(M)
M6	Morecambe, Carnforth, Milnthorpe, Services	now A601(M)

Links

legislation.gov.uk

• The Lancashire County Council (A601(M) Partial Revocation) Scheme 2019 Confirmation Instrument 2020