M62 motorway

M62 motorway
Country	GBR
Route	M62
Length mi	107
Length km	172
Direction a	West
Terminus a	Liverpool
Direction b	East
Terminus b	Kingston upon Hull
Established	1960
Completed	1976
History	Constructed in stages
Cities	Manchester, Leeds, Bradford
Counties	Merseyside, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire

M62 motorway. The M62 motorway is a major trans-Pennine route in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool on the west coast with Kingston upon Hull on the east coast. Spanning approximately 107 miles, it serves as a critical transport artery linking the metropolitan counties of Merseyside, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and East Riding of Yorkshire. The motorway is renowned for its challenging engineering across the Pennines and its vital role in the regional economy.

Route description

Beginning at the Bowring Park interchange near Liverpool, the motorway heads east through the urban landscapes of Merseyside and into Greater Manchester, passing to the north of Warrington and skirting the southern edges of Eccles and Salford. It traverses the high ground of the Pennines between Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire, offering dramatic views before descending towards the major conurbations of Leeds and Bradford. The eastern section crosses the lowlands of the Vale of York, passing south of York itself, before terminating at a junction with the A63 road on the outskirts of Kingston upon Hull. Key parallel routes include the A580 road and the A1(M) motorway.

History

Plans for a high-speed trans-Pennine route were first seriously considered in the 1930s, but construction did not begin until the 1960s as part of a national motorway expansion. The first section, between Lancashire and Yorkshire, opened in 1971, with the challenging Pennine stretch completed in 1973 following significant engineering work. The final sections, connecting to Liverpool and completing the link to Kingston upon Hull, were opened by 1976. The motorway's development was closely tied to post-war industrial strategy and the growth of containerized freight traffic through ports like Liverpool and the Port of Hull.

Junctions

The motorway features numerous major interchanges with other strategic roads. Key western junctions include Junction 6 with the M57 motorway and Junction 12 with the M602 motorway serving Manchester. The critical Junction 27 provides a link to the M1 motorway and the M621 motorway for Leeds. Further east, Junction 32 connects with the M18 motorway and Junction 37 with the A1(M) motorway. The eastern terminus at Junction 38 merges with the A63 road for Kingston upon Hull.

Traffic and usage

It is one of the busiest and most important freight corridors in the United Kingdom, facilitating the movement of goods between the major ports of the Irish Sea and the North Sea. Daily traffic volumes are exceptionally high through the Manchester and Leeds corridors, regularly exceeding 100,000 vehicles. The route is a critical commuter artery for towns like Huddersfield and Brighouse and is heavily used by National Express and other coach services. Congestion, particularly over the Pennines and near major cities, is a persistent issue.

Engineering features

The most notable engineering challenge was its construction across the Saddleworth Moor and Scammonden areas of the Pennines. This involved the creation of the Scammonden Dam, which formed the Scammonden Water reservoir, with the motorway running directly across its dam wall—a unique feature in the UK. Other significant structures include the Lofthouse Interchange near Wakefield, one of the first four-level stack interchanges in Britain, and the high viaducts at Gildersome and Mytholmroyd. The Pennine section is also known for its extensive use of retaining walls and cuttings through rugged terrain.

Future developments

Proposed improvements have historically focused on increasing capacity over the Pennines, including investigations into "smart motorway" upgrades with variable speed limits, though such plans have been reconsidered following national policy reviews. Long-term strategic studies, such as those by Transport for the North, have examined the potential for a parallel trans-Pennine tunnel to alleviate congestion. Ongoing work includes junction improvements, such as those at Junction 10 for the Warrington area, and resilience projects to mitigate closures caused by severe weather on the high-level sections.

Category:Motorways in England Category:Transport in Merseyside Category:Transport in Greater Manchester Category:Transport in West Yorkshire