List of motorways in the United Kingdom facts for kids
Motorways are special roads designed for fast and safe travel over long distances. They help connect different cities and towns across the United Kingdom. This article lists the main motorways you can find in the UK.
It's interesting to know that the way motorways are numbered in Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) is different from how they are numbered in Northern Ireland. Each part of the UK has its own system!
Motorways in Great Britain
Great Britain has many motorways that help people travel quickly between major cities. These roads are usually marked with an 'M' before their number.
Main M-designated Motorways
Here are some of the most important motorways in Great Britain:
| Link | What it connects | Length (miles) | Length (km) |
|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | Links London to Leeds. | 193.5 | 311.4 |
| M3 | Links London to Southampton. | 58.6 | 94.3 |
| M4 | Links London to Cardiff and South Wales. | 189 | 304 |
| M5 | Links Birmingham to Exeter in the southwest. | 162.9 | 262.2 |
| M6 | Links the West Midlands to North West England. | 232.2 | 373.7 |
| M6 Toll | A special road you pay to use, bypassing the M6 near Birmingham. | 27 | 43 |
| M8 | Links Edinburgh to Glasgow in Scotland. | 60.3 | 97.0 |
| M11 | Links London to Cambridge. | 55.0 | 88.5 |
| M25 | A big road that goes all the way around London. | 117 | 188 |
| M40 | Links London to Birmingham. | 89.0 | 143.2 |
| M42 | A road that partly circles Birmingham. | 40.0 | 64.4 |
| M56 | Links Manchester to Liverpool and Chester. | 33.3 | 53.6 |
| M60 | A road that goes all the way around Manchester. | 36 | 58 |
| M62 | Links Liverpool to Hull across the country. | 107 | 172 |
Motorways from A-Roads
Some motorways started as regular 'A' roads but were later upgraded to motorway standards. They keep their 'A' number but add an '(M)' to show they are now motorways.
| Link | What it connects |
|---|---|
| A1(M) | This motorway is in four different sections, connecting places like Potters Bar to Baldock, and Pontefract to Newcastle-upon-Tyne. |
| A3(M) | Links the A3 to the A27 near Portsmouth. |
| A38(M) | Links the M6 to central Birmingham. |
| A48(M) | Links the M4 to central Cardiff. |
| A74(M) | Links the M74 to North West England, continuing as the M6. |
Motorways That Changed
Over time, some motorways have been changed. Some were downgraded to regular roads, and others were renumbered.
Former Motorways
These roads used to be motorways but are not anymore:
- M10: This short road near St Albans was downgraded in 2009.
- M41: This was part of a planned London motorway, but it became a regular road (A3220) in 2000.
- A40(M): This London road was downgraded to the A40 in 2000.
- A41(M): The Tring bypass, changed to the A41 in 1987.
Renumbered Motorways
Sometimes, motorways get new numbers, often because plans change or sections are combined:
- M16: Parts of this planned road are now part of the M25 around London.
- M63: This road around Manchester was combined with parts of other motorways in 1998 to form the new M60 ring road.
- M85: This motorway was renumbered to M90 J10-11 in 1994.
- A2(M): This was the first number planned for the M2 near Medway, but it was changed to M2 before it opened.
Motorways Not Built
Many motorways have been planned over the years but were never built. This can happen for many reasons, like high costs, environmental concerns, or changes in traffic needs. Here are a few examples:
- M12: Several different plans for this motorway were made, but none were fully built.
- M31: This was planned to bypass a busy part of the M25.
- M64: This was planned between the M6 and the M1 but was cancelled in 1976 to save money.
- Most of the M67: This was planned to go through the beautiful Peak District national park, but it was never completed due to controversy and expense.
- Newport Southern Bypass: This was planned as a toll road to bypass Newport, but it was cancelled in 2009 and again in 2019 due to rising costs.
Many cities, like London, Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester, and Glasgow, also had big plans for motorways within their areas, but most of these were not built.
Motorways in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has its own set of motorways, which are also marked with an 'M' before their number.
Main M-designated Motorways (Northern Ireland)
| Link | What it connects |
|---|---|
| M1 | Links Belfast to Dungannon. |
| M2 | In two sections, linking Belfast to Antrim, and bypassing Ballymena. |
| M3 | Links the M2 in north Belfast to the A2 Sydenham Bypass in east Belfast. |
| M5 | Links the M2 in north Belfast to Newtownabbey. |
| M22 | Links the M2 at Antrim to Randalstown. |
Upgraded A-road Designations (Northern Ireland)
- A8(M): A short road linking the M2 near Glengormley to the A8.
Unbuilt Motorways (Northern Ireland)
Just like in Great Britain, some motorways were planned for Northern Ireland but never built:
- M4: Planned to go south from Belfast.
- M11: Planned to link the M1 through Lisburn to Newry. This plan was cancelled in 1969.
- M23: Planned to link the M2 to Derry.
Images for kids
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UK motorways in 2022
See also
- List of numbered roads in the British Isles
- Motorways in the Republic of Ireland
- List of controlled-access highway systems
