A6144(M) motorway
From Free net encyclopedia
Template:UK motorway routebox The A6144(M) is a motorway in Carrington, Greater Manchester, England. It is rare among motorways in that it is entirely single carrigeway, a trait only shared with the A38(M).
Just over a mile long, the road connects the A6144 road to the M60 at junction 8. It is the highest numbered A-road(M) motorway and is also the only four-digit, Axxxx(M) motorway. Also relatively rare is that the motorway is not a trunk road and is therefore not the responsibility of the Highways Agency.
The motorway also has no hard shoulder and just a couple of emergency lay-bys with SOS phones; many say this means it does not deserve motorway status. In addition, it is possible to go from the A6144 to the A56 without going on the mainline of the M60 or any other motorway. One of the main reasons for it needing to have motorway status, is that the junction with the M60 used to have two small roundabouts. It would be very difficult physically for a driver of a long vehicle prohibited from motorways to perform a U-turn due to the small size of the roundabouts. They might be forced to drive onto the M60 sliproads.
The unusual status of the A6144(M) has led to its gaining a number of fans, particularly within organisations such as The Society for All British Road Enthusiasts (SABRE).
Revocation of special road status
In 2004, work began on widening the M60 motorway. As part of the works, the junction with the A6144(M) was changed from two small roundabouts into a single large roundabout. This then allows the possibility that all motorway-prohibited traffic would be able to turn around and not join the M60.
Trafford Borough Council have confirmed that, within a few months, the A6144(M) will cease to be a special road and will hence lose its motorway status. It will also be subject to a 50 mph speed limit. The road will be classified as the A6144, whilst the existing road through Sale will also retain the A6144 number, meaning that there will be 2 branches (and two junctions with the M60 motorway) with the same road number.
In January 2006, new signs were put up on the A6144(M) with a white background, replacing the former blue-background sign. Non-primary A-roads in the UK have white background signs, whilst motorways have blue signs. This perhaps suggests that the change from motorway to non-motorway is imminent.