M60 motorway (Great Britain)

Route map:
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

M60 shield
M60
Manchester Outer Ring Road
M60 at Cutler Hill, Failsworth.jpg
Looking south at Cutler Hill near Failsworth
Route information
Part of E20 and E22
Maintained by National Highways
Length36.1 mi (58.1 km)
7 miles (11 km) are concurrent with the M62 motorway
Existed1998–present
History
  • Opened: 1960 (as M62), 1971 (Middleton Link), 1974 (as M63)
  • Renumbered: 1998
  • Completed: 2000
Major junctions
Orbital around Manchester
Anti-clockwise endStockport
Major intersections
Clockwise endBredbury & Stockport
Location
Country
Primary
destinations
Manchester, Stockport, Trafford Park, Ashton-under-Lyne, Oldham
Road network
M58 M61

The M60 motorway, Manchester Ring Motorway or Manchester Outer Ring Road is an

motorway in North West England. Built over a 40-year period, it passes through most of Greater Manchester's metropolitan boroughs except for Wigan and Bolton. Most of Manchester is encompassed within the motorway, except for the southernmost part of the city (Wythenshawe and Manchester Airport) which is served by the M56
.

The M60 is 36.1 miles (58.1 km) long and was renamed the M60 in 1998, with parts of the M62, M66 and all of the M63 being amalgamated into the new route, and the circle completed in 2000.[1] The road forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22 from junctions 12 to 18.

In 2008, the M60 was proposed as a cordon for

congestion charging in Greater Manchester, although this was rejected in a referendum relating to the Greater Manchester Transport Innovation Fund
.

History

The M60 was developed by connecting and consolidating the existing motorway sections of the M63, M62, and an extended M66. It came into existence as the M60 in 1998, followed by the completion of the eastern side (junctions 19–23) opening in October 2000.[2]

The original plan called for a completely new motorway, but policy change led to the plan which created the current motorway. As soon as it opened, the motorway came close to its projected maximum volume on significant sections.

It is an orbital motorway, and in 2004, a section of the northern M60 was the UK's busiest stretch of road, with an average of 181,000 vehicles per day using the stretch between junctions 16 and 17. Usually, the western side of the M25 motorway holds that distinction, but the M25's figures at the time were lower than normal due to roadworks starting.[3]

In 2006,

collector/distributor road on either side of the main carriageways. Access for junctions 6 to 8 is only from the collector/distributor road. Some of the junctions were extensively re-modelled. As part of the project, the A6144(M) motorway
, which connected to the M60 at junction 8, was downgraded and lost its motorway status.

The Greater Manchester congestion charge which would have affected drivers only during peak times coming off the M60 towards Manchester was rejected by a referendum on 12 December 2008.

Work to upgrade two sections of the M60 to a

managed motorway system had been planned to commence in 2013. This would have included a new lane from junction 12 to 15 and a new lane from junction 8 to 12 near the Trafford Centre.[5][6] Both these projects were subsequently cancelled in favour of a new project that includes speed cameras on this section but no additional lane or hard-shoulder running. An 'environmental assessment' was cited as the reason an additional lane was not provided. A combined approach was initiated in 2014, comprising managed motorway system and lane gain scheme. Work commenced in July 2014, and the full stretch of smart motorway became fully operational on 31 July 2018.[7]

There are no motorway service areas on the M60. The closest service area is at Birch Services on the M62 heading eastwards.

M60 genealogy

The M60 orbits the urban core of Greater Manchester, highlighted in red on the map
Timeline of M60 junction numbers
▲ Clockwise
1960 1968 1971 1974/5 1982 1989 1998 2000 Roads
× × 22 A62
21 (A663)
20 A664
5 19 A576
M68[8] M66 M60
18
4
18
4
18
4
18
18 M62 M66
M62 M60
17 17 A56
15 16 A666
14 15 M61
14A 14 A580
6 13 13 A575
M62 M60
12
6
12
1
12
1
12
1
12 M62 M602
M62[9] M63[10] M60
5 5 2 11 A57
4 4 3 10 B5214
3 3 4 9 A5081
2 2 5 B5213
6 8 A6144
1 1 7 7 A56
M62 M63 M60
× 8 6 A6144
9 5 A5103 (M56)
10 4 M56
3 A34
11 2 A560
× 12 1 A5145
13 27 A560
× 14 26 A560
M63 M60
15
12
25 A560
M66 M60
11 24 A57 (M67)
10 23 A635
× 22 A62
21 (A663)
20 A664
1960 1968 1971 1974/5 1982 1989 1998 2000 Roads
▼ Anti-clockwise
Key
× Motorway not open
Motorway open but no junction
Unnumbered junction

Legislation

The M60 motorway as it passes beneath Stockport Viaduct

Each

motorway in England requires that a statutory instrument
be published, detailing the route of the road, before it can be built. The dates given on these statutory instruments relate to when the document was published, and not when the road was built. Provided below is an incomplete list of statutory instruments relating to the route of the M60.

Junctions

The junctions on the M60 are very closely spaced together, with an average distance of 1.3 miles (2.1 km) between junctions. The recommended junction spacing for motorways is every 10 to 12 miles (16 to 19 km).[11] By comparison, the M6 motorway has an average distance of 5.3 miles (8.5 km) between junctions.

The entire length of the M60 lies within the ceremonial county of Greater Manchester.

Location mi km Junction Destinations Notes
Stockport 0 0 1[coord 1]
A5145 - Stockport
Cheadle 1.5 2.4 2[coord 2]
A560 - Cheadle
No Eastbound entrance or Westbound exit
3[coord 3] No exits going Northbound or entrances from North
Gatley 4[coord 4] M56 - Chester, Warrington, Manchester Airport No exit Eastbound or entrance Westbound
Wythenshawe 4.5 7.3 5[coord 5] No exits North or entrances from South going East

No exits South or entrances from North going West
Sale 6.0 9.7 6[coord 6]
A6144 - Sale
6.8 10.9 7[coord 7]
7.5 12.0 8[coord 8]
A6144 - Carrington
Urmston 9.3 15.0 9[coord 9]
10.3 16.5 10[coord 10] B5158 - Trafford Park, Urmston
Eccles 11.4 18.4 11[coord 11]
A57 - Eccles, Irlam
12.2 19.7 12[coord 12] M62 - Liverpool, Warrington
M602 - Central Manchester, Salford
Worsley 13.0 21.0 13[coord 13]
A580
14.1 22.7 14[coord 14]
St. Helens, Leigh
Northbound entrance from East and Southbound exit going West only
15[coord 15] M61 - Preston, Wigan, Bolton
Clifton 16.3 26.2 16[coord 16] No entrance Eastbound or exit Westbound
Whitefield 18.5 29.7 17[coord 17]
19.8 31.8 18[coord 18] M62 - Leeds, Huddersfield
M66 - Bury, Burnley, Blackburn
Middleton 21.0 33.8 19[coord 19]
22.6 36.4 20[coord 20] No Westbound exit or Eastbound entrance
Whitegate 24.7 39.8 21[coord 21]
Failsworth 26.3 42.3 22[coord 22] No entrance North-Eastbound
Ashton under Lyne 28.6 46.0 23[coord 23]
Denton 30.6 49.3 24[coord 24]
Stockport 25[coord 25]
A560 - Bredbury
no entrances to M60 South-Westbound
26[coord 26]
A560 - Stockport
No entrances or exits going East

No exits to A560 going east or exits from A560 going west
27[coord 27]
A560 - Stockport
No South-Westbound exit or North-Eastbound entrance
36.1 58.1 Motorway continues to junction 1
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
Coordinate list
  1. ^ 53°24′33″N 2°10′27″W / 53.4091°N 2.1742°W / 53.4091; -2.1742 (Junction 1 of M60)
  2. ^ 53°24′06″N 2°12′36″W / 53.4017°N 2.2100°W / 53.4017; -2.2100 (Junction 2 of M60)
  3. ^ 53°23′56″N 2°13′34″W / 53.3989°N 2.2262°W / 53.3989; -2.2262 (Junction 3 of M60)
  4. ^ 53°23′57″N 2°14′16″W / 53.3991°N 2.2377°W / 53.3991; -2.2377 (Junction 4 of M60)
  5. ^ 53°24′50″N 2°15′54″W / 53.4139°N 2.2649°W / 53.4139; -2.2649 (Junction 5 of M60)
  6. ^ 53°25′36″N 2°17′38″W / 53.4267°N 2.2939°W / 53.4267; -2.2939 (Junction 6 of M60)
  7. ^ 53°26′13″N 2°18′54″W / 53.4370°N 2.3151°W / 53.4370; -2.3151 (Junction 7 of M60)
  8. ^ 53°26′27″N 2°20′08″W / 53.4409°N 2.3356°W / 53.4409; -2.3356 (Junction 8 of M60)
  9. ^ 53°27′28″N 2°20′21″W / 53.4579°N 2.3392°W / 53.4579; -2.3392 (Junction 9 of M60)
  10. ^ 53°27′51″N 2°21′25″W / 53.4643°N 2.3570°W / 53.4643; -2.3570 (Junction 10 of M60)
  11. ^ 53°28′35″N 2°22′25″W / 53.4763°N 2.3736°W / 53.4763; -2.3736 (Junction 11 of M60)
  12. ^ 53°29′15″N 2°22′36″W / 53.4876°N 2.3768°W / 53.4876; -2.3768 (Junction 12 of M60)
  13. ^ 53°30′04″N 2°23′02″W / 53.5012°N 2.3838°W / 53.5012; -2.3838 (Junction 13 of M60)
  14. ^ 53°30′47″N 2°22′11″W / 53.5130°N 2.3697°W / 53.5130; -2.3697 (Junction 14 of M60)
  15. ^ 53°31′25″N 2°21′37″W / 53.5235°N 2.3604°W / 53.5235; -2.3604 (Junction 15 of M60)
  16. ^ 53°31′34″N 2°20′14″W / 53.5262°N 2.3371°W / 53.5262; -2.3371 (Junction 16 of M60)
  17. ^ 53°32′20″N 2°17′20″W / 53.5388°N 2.2889°W / 53.5388; -2.2889 (Junction 17 of M60)
  18. ^ 53°32′59″N 2°15′38″W / 53.5498°N 2.2605°W / 53.5498; -2.2605 (Junction 18 of M60)
  19. ^ 53°32′24″N 2°14′14″W / 53.5400°N 2.2372°W / 53.5400; -2.2372 (Junction 19 of M60)
  20. ^ 53°32′02″N 2°12′25″W / 53.5338°N 2.2069°W / 53.5338; -2.2069 (Junction 20 of M60)
  21. ^ 53°31′37″N 2°09′36″W / 53.5269°N 2.1601°W / 53.5269; -2.1601 (Junction 21 of M60)
  22. ^ 53°31′12″N 2°08′36″W / 53.5200°N 2.1434°W / 53.5200; -2.1434 (Junction 22 of M60)
  23. ^ 53°28′48″N 2°07′02″W / 53.4799°N 2.1173°W / 53.4799; -2.1173 (Junction 23 of M60)
  24. ^ 53°27′24″N 2°08′10″W / 53.4568°N 2.1361°W / 53.4568; -2.1361 (Junction 24 of M60)
  25. ^ 53°25′30″N 2°07′33″W / 53.4251°N 2.1258°W / 53.4251; -2.1258 (Junction 25 of M60)
  26. ^ 53°25′13″N 2°08′15″W / 53.4204°N 2.1376°W / 53.4204; -2.1376 (Junction 26 of M60)
  27. ^ 53°25′00″N 2°08′56″W / 53.4166°N 2.1488°W / 53.4166; -2.1488 (Junction 27 of M60)
M60 motorway junctions
mile km Anti-clockwise exits (B Carriageway) Junction Clockwise exits (A Carriageway)
0.0 0.0
A5145
J1
A5145
1.5 2.4 Cheadle A560 J2 No access (on-slip only)
A34
J3
A34
No access (on-slip only) J4 Chester, Warrington, Manchester Airport interchange, Birmingham (M6) M56
4.5 7.3 Chester, Manchester Airport interchange, Birmingham (M6) A5103 (M56) J5 Manchester (C), Didsbury A5103
6.0 9.7
A6144
J6
A6144
6.8 10.9
A56
J7
A56
7.5 12.0 End of variable speed limit J8
A6144
A6144
Start of variable speed limit
9.3 15.0 Trafford Park, Trafford Centre A5081 J9 Urmston B5158, Trafford Park A5081
10.3 16.5 Trafford Park, Urmston B5214 J10 Trafford Park B5214
11.4 18.4
A57
J11
A57
12.2 19.7 J12
Salford M602
13.0 21.0 Swinton A572, Worsley A575 J13 Worsley, Leigh A575, Swinton A572
14.1 22.7
A580
J14 No access (on-slip only)
(M6 North), Preston, Wigan, Bolton M61 J15 Preston, Wigan, Bolton M61
16.3 26.2
Salford, Kearsley A666
J16 No access (on-slip only)
18.5 29.7
A56
J17
A56
19.8 31.8 Start of variable speed limit J18
TOTSO
Burnley, Bury M66
Leeds, Huddersfield M62
Leeds M62
Bury, Burnley, Blackburn M66
End of variable speed limit
21.0 33.8 Middleton A576 J19 Manchester City Centre, Middleton A576
22.6 36.4 No access (on-slip only) J20
A664
24.7 39.8 Rochdale, (A627(M)), Chadderton (A663) J21 Manchester City Centre, Chadderton (A663)
26.3 42.3
A62
J22
A62
28.6 46.0 Ashton-under-Lyne A6140 J23 Ashton-under-Lyne A635
30.6 49.3 J24
A57
Bredbury A560 J25 Bredbury A560
No access J26 Stockport (E&C) A560
Stockport (East) A560 J27 No access (on-slip only)
36.1 58.1 Motorway continues to J1
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi


Data from

driver location signs is used to provide distance and carriageway identifier information.[12]

Incidents

See also

References

  1. ^ "M60 Motorway". Highways Agency. Archived from the original on 15 November 2009. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  2. ^ "M60". Highways Agency. Archived from the original on 15 November 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
  3. ^ http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_transstats/documents/downloadable/dft_transstats_038887.pdf dft.gov.uk
  4. ^ "Speech by Minister of State for Transport, Dr Stephen Ladyman, delivered at the opening ceremony of the widened M60 junction 5-8". Department For Transport. 26 June 2006. Archived from the original on 17 July 2007. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
  5. ^ "M60 Junctions 8-12 Managed Motorways". Highways Agency. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  6. ^ "M60 Junctions 15-12 Lane Gain". Highways Agency. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  7. ^ "North-West Smart Motorways - M60 junction 8 to M62 junction 20". Highways England. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  8. ^ "M68 Middleton Link". Pathetic motorways. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  9. ^ "M62 Stretford-Eccles Bypass". Pathetic motorways. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  10. ^ "M63 Manchester South Orbital". Pathetic motorways. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  11. ^ "M60". CBRD. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  12. Highways Agency. p. 1. Archived from the original
    on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
  13. ^ "M60 fatal crash: Car chased by police drove wrong way on motorway". BBC. 28 May 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.

External links

KML is from Wikidata

Further reading

  • Hyde, M., O'Rourke, A. and Portland, P. Around the M60: Manchester's Orbital Motorway. Altrincham: AMCD Publishers, 2004.