Motorway Database

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Loved and hated in equal measure throughout the community of road fans, the A6144(M) was a source of constant road-related controversy during its short life, and will be sadly missed by all those who enjoy debating the intricacies of the road network. It was, in many ways, the ultimate anomaly.

While the A6144(M) was, as its name suggests, a motorway with its own number and everything, it was a single carriageway road for its entire length. One traffic lane each way, no hard shoulders, and a set of traffic lights at the end. It managed some emergency phones in lay-bys halfway along.

It was a motorway because it inevitably led to the M60, leaving no escape for non-motorway traffic. However, there was a logical solution to this in the shape of a roundabout at the motorway end: anyone unable to use the M60 could simply turn around and go back.

The loss of motorway status in February 2006 does cause problems, though: the former motorway is now just a non-primary A-road and, on a map, looks no better than the parallel A6144 through Sale. Without a blue line, is there any guarantee heavy goods traffic aiming for the industrial areas at its western end will be tempted to take the northern bypass?

It was downgraded to non-primary A-road status and designated as a spur of the A6144 by Trafford Borough Council on May 24, 2006, ending its nineteen year life span as one of the most bizarre corners of the motorway network (and one of the very few places one could legally travel at 70mph on a single-carriageway road).

The memory of this historic road will live on, though: a handful of sacred relics were rescued shortly after it was downgraded.

Factfile

Start	Urmston (M60)
Finish	Carrington (A6144)
Passes	None
Length	1 miles
Terminates	None
Spurs	None
Meets	None

Images

Views of the A6144(M) from on and off the road. If you have a photo to contribute, contact me.

Looking east from the footbridge halfway along the motorway (which represents its only experience of grade separation), the road doesn't look much like a motorway. It comes complete with frequent "two way road" warnings.
Photo by Ian Royston

From the Carrington end, it looks even less like a motorway - apart from the blue sign on the left this could be anywhere.
Photo by Ian Royston

Construction Timeline

When the various parts of the A6144(M) were built, listed in chronological order.

Open		Jct	Section
Oct	1987		Entire motorway

Exit List

All the junctions and destinations along the route.

Junction	Eastbound				Westbound
(M60 J8)	Ring Road (W & N) Salford Manchester M60 Ring Road (S & E) Stockport Manchester M60	M60	*EAST*	M60	N/A
(M60 J8)		M60	*EAST*	M60
	1 mile, 1 lane				1 mile, 1 lane
	N/A		A6144 *WEST*	A6144	Ashton Sale A6144 Carrington A6144
			A6144 *WEST*	A6144