Motorway/Autobahn/ Dual carrigeway/Freeway

steeljack · 21-07-2008, 06:54

ok ,bear with me , I check in on various news sites everyday , just what do you guys in Accrington/UK class as a 'motorway' seems to me a motorway is something at least 3 lanes wide in each direction with unrestricted speed controls (apart from national restrictions) , and a duel carrigeway is 2 lanes in each directions, ( e.g. Brownhill to Preston New Road , with no speed restrictions, apart from the national limit) so how is the 'new' road which runs thru Clayton from Burnley to the M6 classed as a motorway , its only 2 lanes wide .
Question is ....why is the road thru Clayton classed as a motorway yet the road over the top of Accrington , coming from Haslingden/Manchester Airport classed as a duel carrigeway when both are only 2 laners
just curious , Thanks

K.S.H · 21-07-2008, 11:23

Motorways don't have to be 3 lanes, they can be 2 lanes
Dual carraigeways can be more than 2 lanes wide
Motorway has a speed limit of 70MPH (for cars)
Dual carraigeways have the national speed limit unless stated otherwise but can be anything ie 30/40/50mph
The difference between them is one is designated as a motorway and this has got the blue signs, used to have a sign on every junction telling you that you were joining a motorway and what the restriction were but these aren't there anymore

entwisi · 21-07-2008, 11:35

dual carriageways are 2 or more lanes in each direction WITH A CENTRAL DIVIDER. e.g. the A556 from Alty to Lymm is 4 lanes, 2 each way but has no central division so its not a dual carriageway.

Motorways have a hard shoulder for breakdowns(although with signage these can be temporarily not defined). They are also subject to more restrictive laws, no learners, no motorcycles under 50cc, no pedestrians or cyclists

K.S.H · 21-07-2008, 11:46

And no horse drawn carraiges

Anyone else remember the signs? why don't they use them now?

entwisi · 21-07-2008, 13:21

Because 20 years ago there weren't that many motorways and people needed reminding!

K.S.H · 21-07-2008, 13:29

You just got me thinking then about when it was built, thought surely it wasn't 20 year ago since I see the sign down near the Dunkenhalgh
Then I found this

When the various parts of the M65 were built, listed in chronological order.
Open Jct Section
1981 J10-12 Burnley - Brierfield
1983 J12-13 Brierfield - Nelson
1983 J7-10 Hyndburn - Burnley
1984 J6-7 Whitebirk - Hyndburn
1988 J13-14 Nelson - Colne
1997 J1a-6 Preston - Whitebirk

entwisi · 21-07-2008, 13:33

I remember going down to the "open Day" they held at J7 where you could walk around the road and they had shops and stalls on the slip road

MargaretR · 21-07-2008, 13:40

The first section of motorway in UK was known as the 'Preston Bypass'.
It was opened when I was engaged to my 1st ex -so must have been pre 1961.

I recall going on it on the pillion of his BSA 500cc Shooting Star motorbike and being scared out of my wits

ps there was no speed limit then

K.S.H · 21-07-2008, 13:52

1958 Margaret

Open Jct Section
1958 J29-32 Preston Bypass
1960 J33-35 Lancaster Bypass
1962 J13-14 Stafford Bypass
1962 J15-16 Hanchurch - Barthomley
1962 J14-15 Stafford Bypass - Hanchurch
1963 J20-29 Warrington - Preston
1963 J16-20 Barthomley - Warrington
1965 J32-33 Preston - Lancaster
1966 J11-13 Shareshill - Dunston
1966 J10-11 Darlaston - Shareshill
1968 J40-41 Penrith Bypass
1968 J9-10 Bescot - Darlaston
1970 J8-9 Ray Hall - Bescot
1970 J7-8 Great Barr - Ray Hall
1970 J35-40 Lancaster - Penrith
1970 J42-44 Carlisle Bypass
1971 J4-5 Maxstoke - Bromford
1971 J2-4 Ansty - Maxstoke
1971 J41-42 Penrith - Carlisle
1971 J5-6 Bromford - Gravelly Hill
1971 J0-2 Catthorpe - Ansty
1972 J6-7 Gravelly Hill - Great Barr

entwisi · 21-07-2008, 13:54

heh, my dad somehow got on the M6 before it was opened and was pulled over by a plod car and asked how he got on.

He was suitably directed to leave teh next junction

The whole 70mph speed limit is in place thanks to Jaguar and AC testing their cars up and down the M1.

jaysay · 21-07-2008, 16:38

Can remember going on the M1 on the way to he 1960 Cup Final at Wembley. In 1958 local coach firms (Eagle Coaches) took trips to the Preston Bypass, just the let the locals see the first motorway, not many people had cars in those days

katex · 21-07-2008, 17:56

[[email protected];609646]The first section of motorway in UK was known as the 'Preston Bypass'.
It was opened when I was engaged to my 1st ex -so must have been pre 1961.

/quote]

I love the way you date things my the order of your ex's Margaret ...

Look at this way Steeljack, motorway is just another name for what Americans call Freeways, just different rules to dual carriageways. Some in California are 2,3,4 and even 5 lanes !! Same here, 'cept your signs are green.