Motorway Database
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Factfile - Images - Timeline - Exit List
Driving between South Wales and the West Country? The M49 is for you.
Even more than the M26, this road is truly a glorified sliproad. It connects traffic going between the South West (and Bristol) with Wales via the Second Severn Crossing.
The junction at the northern end of the M49 is full access - perhaps to avoid the bridge tolls, perhaps to function as a bypass of the M5, perhaps because an intermediate junction with a park and ride facility was once planned for the M49. There's plenty of theories for the two extra sliproads, but not so many answers.
Motorway numbering conventions suggest that since the M49 lies south of the M4, it should really have a number beginning with 3. M39 anyone?
Factfile
| Start | Avonmouth (M5) |
| Finish | Severn Beach (M4) |
| Passes | None |
| Length | 5 miles |
| Terminates | None |
| Spurs | None |
| Meets | None |
Images
Views of the M49 from on and off the road. If you have a photo to contribute, contact me.
The M49 is... boring. Dull. Ordinary. Run of the mill. Middling. There is nothing of interest on this motorway between the start and end. Oh dear god, I'm falling asleep just looking at the photo.
Photo by Steven Jukes
Approaching the northern end, this array of blue signs is, frankly, a relief.
Photo by Steven Jukes
Construction Timeline
When the various parts of the M49 were built, listed in chronological order.
| Open | Jct | Section |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Entire motorway | Second Severn Crossing Link Road |
Exit List
All the junctions and destinations along the route.
| Junction | Northbound | Southbound | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (M4 J22) | SOUTH WALES Cardiff Newport M4  |
M4 |
NORTH |
M4 (M32) |
N/A | |||||
| Bristol M4 (M32 ) |
||||||||||
5 miles, 2 lanes  |
 5 miles, 2 lanes |
|||||||||
| (M5 J18) | N/A | (A4) M5 |
 SOUTH |
M5 |
The SOUTH WEST Bristol Taunton M5 |
|||||
| Avonmouth Bristol (W) &  A4 |
