A1(M) motorway

Includes one section under construction in 2016

Looking northwards at Washington Services as the A1(M) approaches Junction 65

A1(M) is the designation given to a series of five separate motorway sections in England. Each section is an upgrade to a section of the A1, a major North-South road, which connects London, the capital of England, with Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The first section, the Doncaster Bypass, opened in 1961 and is one of the oldest sections of motorway in Britain.^[1] Construction of a new section of A1(M) is currently underway between Leeming and Barton, with an anticipated opening in 2017. When complete it will link the Barton to Washington section with the Darrington to Leeming Bar section, forming the longest A1(M) section overall and reducing the number from five to four.

Overview

Most of the English section of the A1 is a series of alternating sections of dual carriageway and motorway. From Newcastle upon Tyne to Edinburgh it is a trunk road with alternating sections of dual and single carriageway. The table below summaries the road as motorways and non-motorways sections,^[2]

The motorway sections are discussed below.

South Mimms to Stotfold

A1(M) motorway
Route information
Part of E15
Length:	24 mi (39 km)
Existed:	1962 – present
History:	Constructed 1962–1986
Major junctions
From:	South Mimms
	J1 → M25 motorway
To:	Stotfold
Location
Primary destinations:	Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth
Road network
Roads in the United Kingdom Motorways A and B road zones

The northern portal of the Hatfield Tunnel

This section opened in stages:

• Junctions 1 to 2 opened in 1979
• Junctions 2 to 4 opened in 1986
• Junctions 4 to 6 opened in 1973
• Junctions 6 to 8 opened in 1962
• Junctions 8 to 10 opened in 1967

Junctions

A1(M) motorway junctions
km	Southbound exits (B carriageway)	Junction	Northbound exits (A carriageway)
	Road continues as A1 to Central London	J1 Services	Stansted , Dartford Crossing (M11, M20) Heathrow, Gatwick (M1, M40, M4, M3, M23) M25 Barnet A1081 Non-motorway traffic South Mimms services
	Stansted , Dartford Crossing (M11, M20) Heathrow, Gatwick (M1, M40, M4, M3, M23) M25 Barnet A1081 South Mimms services		Start of motorway
	No access (on-ramp only)	J2	Hatfield A1001
	St Albans A414 Potters Bar A1001	J3	St Albans A414
	Hatfield Tunnel	Tunnel	Hatfield Tunnel
	Hertford A414, Welwyn Garden City A6129, Hatfield A1001	J4	Hertford A414, Welwyn Garden City A6129
	No access	J5	No access (on-ramp only)
	Welwyn, Welwyn Garden City A1000	J6	Welwyn, Welwyn Garden City A1000
	Stevenage, Ware A602	J7	Stevenage, Ware A602
	Stevenage A602	J8	Hitchin, Stevenage A602
	Letchworth, Baldock, Hitchin A505	J9	Letchworth, Baldock A505
	Start of motorway	J10 Services	Stotfold, Henlow A507 Baldock services
	Stotfold, Henlow A507 Non-motorway traffic Baldock services		Road continues as A1 to Sandy

Alconbury to Peterborough

A1(M) motorway
Route information
Part of E15
Length:	13 mi (21 km)
Existed:	1998 – present
Major junctions
From:	Alconbury
To:	Orton Southgate
Location
Primary destinations:	Peterborough
Road network
Roads in the United Kingdom Motorways A and B road zones

A1(M) southbound at Sawtry.

This section opened in 1998. This stretch is designed to a noticeably high standard, eight miles of it being four lanes in each direction whilst the remainder has three lanes in each direction. It is managed by Road Management Services (Peterborough) Ltd under a DBFO contract with the Highways Agency.^[3]

Junctions

Blyth to Skellow (Doncaster By-Pass)

A1(M) motorway
Route information
Part of E15
Length:	15.2 mi (24.5 km)
Existed:	1961 – present
Major junctions
From:	Blyth
	J35 → M18 motorway
To:	Red House, near Skellow
Location
Primary destinations:	Doncaster, Wakefield, Rotherham, Barnsley
Road network
Roads in the United Kingdom Motorways A and B road zones

This section opened in 1961 and is one of the oldest sections of motorway in Britain, and is entirely two lanes in each direction.

Junctions

Data from driver location signs are used to provide distance and carriageway identifier information.^[4]

A1(M) motorway junctions
km	Southbound exits (B carriageway)	Junction	Northbound exits (A carriageway)
0.0	Road continues as A1 to Newark	J34 Services	Bawtry A614 Blyth B6045 Non-motorway traffic Blyth services
	Bawtry A614 Blyth B6045 Blyth services		Start of motorway
12.0	Sheffield, Rotherham, Hull, Scunthorpe, Robin Hood M18	J35	Sheffield, Rotherham, Hull, Scunthorpe, Robin Hood M18
14.9	Doncaster, Doncaster International Railport, Conisbrough A630	J36	Doncaster, Doncaster International Railport, Conisbrough A630
20.3	Barnsley, Thurnscoe A635	J37	Barnsley, Thurnscoe A635
24.4	Start of motorway	J38	South Elmsall, Ackworth, Wakefield A638
	South Elmsall, Ackworth, Wakefield A638 Non-motorway traffic		Road continues as A1 to Darrington

Darrington to Leeming Bar

A1(M) motorway
Route information
Part of E15
Length:	51 mi (82 km)
Existed:	1995 – present
History:	Constructed 1995–2012
Major junctions
From:	Darrington
	J41 → M62 motorway J43 → M1 motorway
To:	Leeming Bar
Location
Primary destinations:	Wetherby, Knaresborough, Ripon
Road network
Roads in the United Kingdom Motorways A and B road zones

Wetherby Services on the A1(M).

This section opened in sections:

• Walshford to 49 opened in 1995
• Junctions 43 to 44 opened in 1999

When this section opened it ended at a temporary terminus south of the M1. There was a final exit into Micklefield Village for non-motorway traffic onto what is now the access road. During the first week of June 2009, Junctions 44 and 45 were renumbered to 43 and 44. At the same time the existing A1/A659 Grange Moor junction became A1(M) Junction 45.^[5] As a result many atlases show incorrect junction numbering for this stretch of motorway.

• Junction 46 to temporary junction at Walshford opened in 2005^[6]
• Junction 40 to south of 43 opened in 2005 & 2006

The northern section of the upgrade, bypassing Fairburn village opened to traffic in April 2005 with a temporary connection with the existing A1 between Fairburn and Brotherton. The southern section, with a free-flow interchange with the M62 motorway opened to traffic on 13 January 2006.

• Junctions 44 to 46 opened in 2009^[7]
• Junctions 49 to 51 opened in 2011 & 2012

Work began in March 2009 to upgrade the Dishforth to Leeming section to dual 3-lane motorway standard with existing connections being replaced by two new junctions. The Dishforth to Baldersby Section (J49 to J50) was completed in October 2011^[8] and the Baldersby to Leeming section (J50 to J51) was opened to traffic on 31 March 2012.

Junctions

Data from driver location signs are used to provide distance and carriageway identifier information.^[4]

A1(M) motorway junctions
km	Southbound exits (B carriageway)	Junction	Northbound exits (A carriageway)
36.5	Road continues as A1 to Doncaster	J40	Knottingley A162 Non-motorway traffic Ferrybridge services
	No access (on-ramp only)		Start of motorway
41.1	Hull, Goole, Manchester, Pontefract, Leeds M62 Ferrybridge services	J41	Manchester, Pontefract, Leeds M62
46.7	Leeds, Selby A63	J42	Selby A63
	The South, Leeds M1	J43	No access (on-ramp only)
55.3	Leeds, York A64	J44	Leeds, York A64
57.2	Wetherby, Boston Spa, Otley A659	J45	Tadcaster, Boston Spa, Otley A659
	Kirk Deighton, Wetherby A168 Wetherby services	J46 Services	Kirk Deighton, Wetherby A168 Wetherby services
79.3	Knaresborough, Harrogate, Leeds Bradford International A59	J47	York, Knaresborough A59
86.3	Ripon, Boroughbridge A168	J48	Boroughbridge A168 Knaresborough A6055
95.2	Thirsk, Teesside A168 (A19)	J49	Thirsk, Teesside A168 (A19)
102.8	Ripon, Thirsk, Harrogate A61	J50	Ripon, Thirsk A61
119.9	Start of motorway	J51	Northallerton, Leeming Bar, Bedale A6055 (A684)
	Northallerton, Leeming Bar, Bedale A6055 (A684) Non-motorway traffic		Road continues as A1 to Barton

Leeming Bar to Barton

A1(M) motorway
Route information
Part of E15
Length:	12 mi (19 km)
History:	Constructed 2014–
Major junctions
From:	Leeming Bar
To:	Barton
Location
Primary destinations:	Catterick, Scotch Corner
Road network
Roads in the United Kingdom Motorways A and B road zones

Work on upgrading the Leeming Bar to Barton section to three-lane motorway began in April 2014. Work is expected to be completed by Spring 2017, by when the A1 will be continuous motorway standard from Darrington, West Yorkshire to Washington, Tyne and Wear.^[9]

There will be two junctions on the route; J52 will be situated on the A6136 near Catterick and J53 at the existing Scotch Corner junction for the A66. As with other sections an access road will run parallel to the A1(M) for local traffic.

Junctions

Barton to Washington

A1(M) motorway
Route information
Part of E15
Length:	35.6 mi (57.3 km)
Existed:	1965 – present
History:	Constructed 1965–70
Major junctions
From:	Barton
	J57 → A66(M) motorway J65 → A194(M) motorway
To:	Birtley
Location
Primary destinations:	Darlington, Newton Aycliffe, Durham, Houghton le Spring, Chester-le-Street, Washington
Road network
Roads in the United Kingdom Motorways A and B road zones

This section opened in stages:

• Junctions 56 to 59 opened in 1965
• Junctions 59 to 63 opened in 1969
• Junctions 63 to 65 opened in 1970

Junctions

A1(M) motorway junctions
km	Southbound exits (B carriageway)	Junction	Northbound exits (A carriageway)
	Road continues as A1 towards Leeming Bar	J56	Melsonby, Barton B6275 Non-motorway traffic
	Piercebridge, Barton B6275		Start of motorway
	No access (on-ramp only)	J57	Darlington, Teesside & A66(M)
	Darlington A68	J58	Darlington, Bishop Auckland, Corbridge A68
	Newton Aycliffe, Darlington, Teesside A167	J59	Newton Aycliffe A167
	Hartlepool, Bishop Auckland, Teesside A689	J60	Hartlepool, Bishop Auckland, Teesside A689
	Bishop Auckland, Spennymoor A688 Durham services	J61 Services	Spennymoor A688 Durham A177 Durham services
	Durham A690	J62	Durham, Sunderland A690
	Chester-le-Street A167 Stanley A693	J63	Chester-le-Street A167 Stanley A693
	Washington A195	J64	Washington A195
	Washington services	Services	Washington services
	Start of motorway	J65	South Shields, Tyne Tunnel A194(M)
	Sunderland A1231 Non-motorway traffic		Road continues as A1 to Edinburgh

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to A1(M) motorway.

Route map: Bing / Google

• CBRD Motorway Database – A1(M)
• The Motorway Archive (A1(M))
  • Junctions 1 to 10 & 13 to 17
  • Junctions 34 to 38
  • Junctions 47 to 49
  • Junctions 56 to 59
  • Junctions 59 to 63
  • Junctions 63 to 65
• Pathetic Motorways: A1(M) Central Motorway East

A roads in Zone 1 of the Great Britain road numbering scheme
	A1 A10 A11 A12 A13 A14 A15 A16 A17 A18 A19
	A100 A101 A102 A103 A104 A105 A106 A107 A109 A110 A111 A114 A116 A118 A119 A120 A121 A124 A127 A128 A129 A130 A131 A132 A133 A134 A135 A140 A142 A143 A144 A145 A146 A148 A149 A151 A152 A153 A156 A157 A158 A159 A160 A161 A165 A166 A167 A168 A169 A170 A171 A172 A173 A174 A177 A178 A179 A180 A182 A183 A186 A189 A194 A197
	A1000 A1010 A1018 A1023 A1031 A1058 A1065 A1066 A1067 A1068 A1071 A1073 A1078 A1079 A1081 A1082 A1085 A1086 A1094 A1095 A1098 A1101 A1107 A1120 A1136 A1144 A1151 A1156 A1159 A1175 A1198 A1200 A1202 A1205 A1231 A1232 A1237 A1260 A1300 A1303 A1309 A1500
List of A roads in Zone 1 List of B roads in Zone 1

Motorways in the United Kingdom
Great Britain	M1 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 A1(M) A3(M) A38(M) A48(M) A57(M) A58(M) A64(M) A66(M) A74(M) A167(M) A194(M) A308(M) A329(M) A404(M) A601(M) A627(M) A823(M)
Northern Ireland	M1 M2 M3 M5 M12 M22 A8(M)
Former	M10 M41 M63 A18(M) A40(M) A41(M) A102(M) A6144(M)
Unbuilt	M12 M15 M16 M31 M64
Proposed	M4 relief road
Related articles	Highways England Smart motorway
Category Commons