Staithgate Roundabout

Staithgate Roundabout is junction 3 of the M606. Between the opening of the M606 in 1972 and the eventual completion of this junction in 2004, this junction was literally half-built; all traffic was diverted onto the exit sliproad, while the unfinished mainline of the motorway was blocked by cones, a measure which was originally intended to be temporary but ended up being permanent, as the planned extension of the motorway into Bradford city centre was never completed.

The 2004 upgrade involved diverting the eastbound carriageway of the A6177 Outer Ring Road to the north of the roundabout, and extending both carriageways of the motorway to meet the A6177 at a restricted and signal-controlled T junction, bypassing the roundabout and allowing direct right turns onto and off the motorway.

Had the motorway to the north been finished, this junction would have been a simple roundabout interchange. As with junction 2, it would have had no northbound entry sliproad, in order to prevent local traffic from using the motorway to get into the city centre.

Also, had it been built to plan, the exit sliproad from the southbound carriageway would have included a questionable design feature: an at-grade T junction with a residential street (Birch Lane, which would have been extended to the south in order to meet the sliproad, thereby allowing a direct route to the Staithgate roundabout from West Bowling.) Turning off from the sliproad onto Birch Lane would have involved a very sharp uphill u-turn, and there would have been a real possibility that confused, inattentive or spectacularly reckless drivers approaching from Birch Lane would have used the sliproad to join the motorway in the wrong direction.

The planned design for this junction is of a similar vintage to Waterdale Interchange on the M1 and Sackville Street Junction on the A57(M), which also incorporate exit sliproads containing at-grade T junctions with local streets.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
M606	Manchester, Leeds (M62, M1), Eurocam Technology Park
A6036	Halifax, Huddersfield (A641), Odsal, Wibsey, Grattan Stadium Parking match day only
A6177	City centre, Keighley (A650), Leeds (A647), Harrogate (A658), Airport
A6177	Ring road, Hospitals
A638(M)	Manchester, Leeds (M62, M1), Eurocam Technology Park	proposed number for M606
M606	City Centre
A6036	City centre, Keighley (A650), Leeds (A647), Harrogate (A658)

Links

• Legislation - The M606 Motorway (Staygate Extension) Scheme 1994