M606 motorway

M606 motorway. The M606 is a short motorway in West Yorkshire, England, providing a primary link between the national motorway network and the city centre of Bradford. It branches north from the M62 motorway at Chain Bar and terminates at a large roundabout interchange on the edge of Bradford's central area. The route serves as a crucial economic artery for the city and its surrounding region.

Route description

The motorway begins at a three-level stack interchange with the M62 motorway near Cleckheaton, an interchange also used by the A638 road. From this junction, it heads north, passing between the districts of Wyke and Low Moor. The landscape is largely urban, with the route traversing an area historically dominated by industrial activity. It features two lanes in each direction for its entire length, with hard shoulders maintained throughout. The northern terminus is at a large roundabout, known as St. Enoch's Circus, which provides direct connections to the A6177 road (Bradford Ring Road) and the A641 road into Bradford city centre. The road offers views of the South Pennines to the north and is a key commuter route into the city from towns in the Spen Valley.

History

The motorway was constructed to improve access to Bradford from the then-new M62 motorway, which was being built across the Pennines to connect Liverpool and Hull. Authorised in the late 1960s, construction began in 1970 and the road was opened to traffic in 1972. Its construction involved significant engineering work, including major earthworks and the building of the complex Chain Bar interchange. The route was designed to alleviate severe congestion on the existing A641 road and to support the economic regeneration of Bradford following the decline of its traditional wool and textile industries. There have been no major alterations to its alignment since opening, though ongoing maintenance and safety improvements, such as barrier upgrades and drainage works, have been carried out by National Highways.

Junctions

The entire motorway is contained within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford. The junctions are numbered sequentially from its southern origin. Junction 1 is the southern terminus at the M62 motorway (Junction 26 on the M62); this interchange provides access eastbound towards Leeds and Hull and westbound towards Manchester and Liverpool. There are no intermediate junctions. Junction 2 is the northern terminus at St. Enoch's Circus, distributing traffic onto the A6177 road (for destinations like Shipley and Keighley) and the A641 road (for Bradford city centre and Brighouse). All junctions are grade-separated, with the terminal junction being a large signal-controlled roundabout.

Future

Proposals to extend the motorway further into Bradford city centre were seriously considered in the 1970s but were ultimately abandoned due to high costs, land acquisition issues, and significant public opposition. More recent discussions have focused on improving the capacity and safety of the existing route and its terminal junctions, rather than physical extension. West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Bradford Council have investigated schemes to enhance public transport connectivity along the corridor, including potential Bus Rapid Transit links. Any future major works would likely be part of wider strategic plans for the Leeds City Region transport network and would require approval and funding from the Department for Transport.

Category:Motorways in England Category:Transport in West Yorkshire Category:Transport in Bradford