A1(M) is the designation given to a series of four separate motorway sections in the UK. Each section is an upgrade to a section of the A1, a major north–south road which connects London, the capital of England, with Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The first section, the Doncaster Bypass, opened in 1961 and is one of the oldest sections of motorway in Britain. Construction of a new section of A1(M) between Leeming and Barton was completed on 29 March 2018, a year later than the anticipated opening in 2017 due to extensive archaeological excavations. Its completion linked the Barton to Washington section with the Darrington to Leeming Bar section, forming the longest A1(M) section overall and reducing the number of sections from five to four.

In 2015, a proposal was made by three local government organisations to renumber the section of A1(M) between Micklefield and Washington as the M1, making this section a northern extension of the M1.

Overview

From London to Sunderland, of the route are non-motorway while the remaining are to motorway standards.

The motorway sections are discussed below.

South Mimms to Stotfold

This section opened in stages: Junctions 1 to 2 opened in 1979 Junctions 2 to 4 opened in 1986 Junctions 4 to 6 opened in 1973 Junctions 6 to 8 opened in 1962 Junctions 8 to 10 opened in 1967

Junctions

+A1(M) motorway junctions South Mimms to Stotfold km Southbound exits (B carriageway) Junction Northbound exits (A carriageway) Road continues as A1 to Central LondonJ1Services M25(M1)Watford, Stansted , Potters Bar, South MimmsServicesNon-motorway traffic M25(M1)Heathrow , Watford, Stansted , Potters BarBarnet A1081South Mimms services Start of motorway No Exit (Access slip road only) J2 Welham Green A1001 St Albans A414Welham Green A1001 J3 St Albans A414Hatfield A1001 Hatfield Tunnel Tunnel Hatfield Tunnel Hertford A414 Hatfield A1001Welwyn Garden City A6129 J4 Hertford A414Welwyn Garden City A6129 No Access or Exit J5 No Exit (Access slip road only) Welwyn Garden City, Welwyn A1000 J6 Welwyn A1000 Ware, Stevenage A602 J7 Stevenage A602 HitchinStevenage (N) A602 J8 HitchinStevenage (N) A602 Letchworth, Baldock A505 J9 Baldock, Letchworth A505 Entering Hertfordshire Entering Bedfordshire Start of motorwayJ10Services Stotfold, Shefford A507Baldock services Baldock, Stotfold A507Baldock ServicesNon-Motorway Traffic Road continues as A1 to AlconburyThe NORTH, Peterborough A1

Alconbury to Peterborough

This section runs through the Cambridgeshire countryside between Alconbury and Peterborough. It was officially opened by Lord Whitty on 31 October 1998, and is the most isolated of the motorway sections as it connects with no other motorway. It is designed to a noticeably high standard, of it being four lanes from junction 14 at Alconbury to junction 16 at Norman Cross in each direction whilst the remainder has three lanes in each direction. It is managed by Road Management Services (Peterborough) under a DBFO contract with National Highways.

Junctions +A1(M) motorway junctions Alconbury to Peterborough km Southbound exits (B carriageway) Junction Northbound exits (A carriageway) Road continues as A1 to A14 and LondonJ14 The Alconburys, The Stukeleys B1043Non-motorway traffic Huntingdon, St Ives (A 1307) Start of motorway Sawtry B1043Sawtry services (unsigned southbound) J15Services Sawtry B1043Ramsey (B660)Sawtry services (fully signed northbound) Yaxley A15 Stilton (B1043)Ramsey (B660) J16 Yaxley A15 Stilton (B1043) Start of motorwayJ17Services Peterborough A1139 Wisbech (A47)Northampton, Oundle A605Peterborough services Peterborough A1139 Wisbech (A47)Northampton, Oundle A605Peterborough servicesNon-motorway traffic Road continues as A1 to DoncasterThe NORTH, Stamford A1

Doncaster By-Pass (Blyth to Skellow)

This section which runs from Skellow in South Yorkshire to the village of Blyth in the far north of Nottinghamshire first opened in 1961 and was one of the first sections of motorway to be built in Britain; it has two lanes in each direction. Between junction 36 and 37 the motorway crosses the River Don on the Don Bridge.

Junctions Data from driver location signs are used to provide distance and carriageway identifier information.

+A1(M) motorway junctions Blyth to Skellow km Southbound exits (B carriageway) Junction Northbound exits (A carriageway)0.0 Road continues as A1 to PeterboroughThe SOUTH, Newark A1Nottingham (A614)J34Services Bawtry A614 Doncaster Sheffield Non-motorway trafficBlyth services Bawtry A614Gainsborough (A631)Doncaster Sheffield Blyth services Start of motorway Entering Nottinghamshire Entering South Yorkshire12.0 M18Sheffield (M1)Scunthorpe (M180)Doncaster Sheffield J35 Doncaster M18 Sheffield (M1) Scunthorpe (M180) Hull (M62)14.9 Rotherham, Doncaster A630 J36 Rotherham, Doncaster A63020.3 Doncaster, Barnsley A635 J37 Doncaster, Barnsley A63524.4 Start of motorwayJ38 Wakefield A638 Doncaster, Wakefield A638Non-motorway traffic Road continues as A1 to DarringtonThe NORTH A1Leeds (M62)

Skellow to Darrington (proposed) Proposals were made by a previous government to upgrade the Skellow to Darrington section of the A1 to motorway, meaning the entire stretch of A1 from Blyth in Nottinghamshire to Washington in Tyne and Wear would be motorway-standard road.

Darrington to Washington

This section opened in sections: Walshford to 49 opened in 1995 Junctions 43 to 44 opened in 1999 When this section opened it ended at a temporary terminus south of the M1. There was a final exit into Micklefield Village for non-motorway traffic onto what is now the access road. During the first week of June 2009, junctions 44 and 45 were renumbered to 43 and 44. At the same time the existing A1/A659 Grange Moor junction became A1(M) junction 45. As a result many atlases show incorrect junction numbering for this stretch of motorway. Junction 46 to temporary junction at Walshford opened in 2005 Junction 40 to south of 43 opened in 2005 and 2006 The northern section of the upgrade, bypassing Fairburn village, opened to traffic in April 2005 with a temporary connection with the existing A1 between Fairburn and Brotherton. The southern section, with a free-flow interchange with the M62 motorway, opened to traffic on 13 January 2006. Junctions 44 to 46 opened in 2009 Junctions 49 to 51 opened in 2011 and 2012 Work began in March 2009 to upgrade the Dishforth to Leeming section to dual three-lane motorway standard with existing connections being replaced by two new junctions. The Dishforth to Baldersby Section was completed in October 2011 and the Baldersby to Leeming section was opened to traffic on 31 March 2012. Junctions 51 to 56 opened in 2017 and 2018 - there are no junctions 54 and 55 Work on upgrading the Leeming Bar to Barton section to three-lane motorway began in April 2014. Work was expected to be completed by summer 2017. In early 2017, the Highways Agency announced that the full opening would be delayed until December 2017. In the end, the motorway opened up on 29 March 2018, making the A1 continuous motorway standard from Darrington, West Yorkshire, to Washington, Tyne and Wear, though residual works were still to be completed. Junctions 56 to 59 opened in 1965 Junctions 59 to 63 opened in 1969 Junctions 63 to 65 opened in 1970

Junctions Data from driver location signs are used to provide distance and carriageway identifier information.

+A1(M) motorway junctions Darrington to Washington km Southbound exits (B carriageway) Junction Northbound exits (A carriageway)36.5 Road continues as A1 to DoncasterThe SOUTH A1Doncaster (A638)J40 Hull (M62)Pontefract A162 (A645)Non-motorway traffic Ferrybridge services No access (on-ramp only) Start of motorway41.1 Hull, Manchester M62Ferrybridge services J41 Manchester, Leeds M62 Entering West Yorkshire Entering North Yorkshire46.7 Leeds, Selby A63 J42 Leeds, Selby A63 Entering North Yorkshire Entering West Yorkshire London, Leeds M1Manchester (M62) J43 No access (on-ramp only) Entering West Yorkshire Entering North Yorkshire55.3 York, Leeds (N) A64 J44 Leeds, York A64 Entering North Yorkshire Entering West Yorkshire57.2 Wetherby A168Otley A659 J45 Wetherby A168Otley A659 Entering West Yorkshire Entering North Yorkshire York, Wetherby B1224Wetherby services J46Services Wetherby, York B1224Wetherby services79.3 York, Knaresborough, Harrogate, Leeds/Bradford A59 J47 Knaresborough, Harrogate, Leeds/Bradford , York A59 86.3 Boroughbridge A6055 J48 Boroughbridge A6055Ripon (B6265) Dishforth A168 95.2 Thirsk A168 Teesside (A19) J49 Thirsk A168 Teesside (A19) 102.8 Ripon, Thirsk A61 J50 Ripon, Thirsk A61 119.9 Northallerton, Leyburn A684Bedale (B6285) J51 Northallerton, Bedale A6055 (A684) Catterick A6055 (A6136) J52 Catterick A6055 (A6136)Richmond A6055 (A6108)Penrith, Brough A66Scotch Corner services J53 Richmond A6055 (A6108)Penrith, Brough A66Scotch Corner services Piercebridge B6275Barton J56 Piercebridge B6275Barton No access (on-ramp only) J57 Darlington, Teesside, Teesside A66(M) Entering North Yorkshire Entering County Durham Corbridge, Darlington A68 J58 Darlington, Bishop Auckland, Corbridge A68 Newton Aycliffe, Darlington A167 J59 Newton Aycliffe A167 Bishop Auckland, Hartlepool, Teesside A689 J60 Bishop Auckland, Hartlepool, Teesside A689 Spennymoor, Bishop Auckland A688Peterlee A177Durham services J61Services Spennymoor A688Peterlee A177Durham services Sunderland, Durham A690Consett (A691) J62 Sunderland, Durham A690 Consett (A691) Chester-le-Street A167Stanley A693 J63 Chester-le-Street A167Stanley A693 Entering County Durham Entering Tyne and Wear Washington (S) A195 J64 Washington, Birtley A195 Washington services Services Washington services Start of motorwayJ65 Tyne Tunnel, South Shields A194(M) Sunderland, Washington A1231Non-motorway traffic Road continues as A1 to EdinburghNewcastle, Gateshead A1

References

External links

CBRD Motorway Database – A1(M) The Motorway Archive (A1(M)) Junctions 1 to 10 & 14 to 17 Junctions 34 to 38 Junctions 47 to 49 Junctions 56 to 59 Junctions 59 to 63 Junctions 63 to 65 Pathetic Motorways: A1(M) Central Motorway East