Talke Interchange

The link under construction prior to opening in May 1964

With just the M6 link in 1968

Before the 1960s, Talke Interchange was a simple crossroads where the A34, the main north-south route in North Staffordshire, crossed a minor road leading to Talke Pits (to the west) and Tunstall (to the east).

When the M6 was opened on 15 November 1963, junction 16 was placed in the middle of nowhere and the dual carriageway link road of over three miles to Talke Interchange was still under construction. It was opened on 15 May 1964 and numbered A500. The roundabout was built slightly to the south of the crossroads to enable interchange between the A34, the A500 and the Tunstall road, with the Talke Pits road now joining the A34 at a T-junction just north of the roundabout. It was not long before the A500 was extended to the east of the junction.

There are now as many as seven roads leading off the roundabout. As well as the five mentioned above, there are also two access roads leading to a Little Chef and a petrol station.

An interesting feature of the interchange is an extra bridge across the A500 in the middle of the junction. In common with many roundabouts on the A34 in the local area, there is a path through the middle to accommodate traffic unable to negotiate the roundabout - although the use of these requires a police escort.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
A34	Kidsgrove, Congleton, Alsager, Talke Pits
A34	Newcastle-under-Lyme, University Hospital of North Staffs
A500	Stoke-on-Trent
A500	M6, Nantwich
	Tunstall, Ravensdale