M62 motorway

Infobox road
marker_

highway_name=M62 motorway
route=Knotty Ash to North Cave


map_custom=yes
country_meta=GB
maint=the Highways Agency
length_mi=107
length_round=0
length_notes=7 miles are part of the M60 motorway
length_ref=
established=1960-1976
direction_a=West
terminus_a=Knotty Ash
junction=10 - ukmotorwaysmall|6
12 - ukmotorwaysmall|60
18 - ukmotorwaysmall|60
29 - ukmotorwaysmall|1
32a - ukmotorwayAsmall|1
direction_b=East
terminus_b=North Cave
counties=Merseyside, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire
cities=Salford, Manchester, Bradford, Leeds, Wakefield
commons=gallery

The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 (Shannon to Saint Petersburg) and E22 (Holyhead to Ishim). The road is convert|107|mi|km long;cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m62/|title=M62 motorway|work=Motorway Database|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|accessdate=2007-05-19] however, for seven miles (11 km), it shares its route with the M60 motorway around Manchester.cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/reference/m1-m898/assets/m1-m898.html|title=M1-M898 waypoints|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|accessdate=2007-11-17] The motorway, which was first proposed in the 1930s, and originally conceived as two separate routes, was built in stages between 1971 and 1976, with construction beginning at Pole Moor and finishing in Tarbock. The motorway also absorbed the northern end of the Stretford-Eccles bypass, which was built between 1957 and 1960. Adjusted for inflation to 2007, the motorway cost approximately £765 million to build.cite paper |author= David Simmons consultancy |title=Case Study:M62 motorway |accessdate=2007-05-30 |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20061017081442/http://www.davidsimmonds.com/main/pdfs/m62.pdf "CEC (1987) estimated that the capital cost of the motorway was "of the order of £412 million at 1985 prices"." The inflation rates are taken from [http://www.whatsthecost.com/historic.cpi.aspx historical CPI figures] .] The motorway is relatively busy, with an average daily traffic flow of 100,000 cars in Yorkshire, and has several areas prone to gridlock, in particular, between Leeds and Huddersfield in West Yorkshire.

Since the Stretford-Eccles bypass was opened, the motorway's history beyond construction has included a coach bombing on 4 February 1974, and a rail crash on 28 February 2001. The motorway is additionally memorable for Stott Hall Farm, a farm in the Pennines situated between the carriageways, existing due to the geology of the surrounding area, and which has since become one of the most known sights in West Yorkshire.

The road passes the cities of Salford, Manchester, Bradford and Leeds. Between Liverpool and Manchester, and east of Leeds, the terrain of the road is relatively flat, while between Manchester and Leeds, the road crosses the hilly Pennines to its highest point on Windy Hill near Saddleworth Moor (coord|53.62982|-2.018561|region:GB_type:landmark|name=Windy Hill), which is also the highest point of any motorway in the United Kingdom, at convert|1221|ft|m above sea level.cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/content/articles/2006/11/30/m62_spencer_feature.shtml|title=More than a road...|author=Spencer Stokes|publisher=BBC.co.uk|date=2006-12-01|accessdate=2007-08-23] cite web |url=http://www.iht.org/motorway/stats.htm |title=Statistics |work=Motorway Archive |publisher=The Motorway Archive Trust |accessdate=2007-11-18] [http://www.panoramio.com/photo/7235243 Panoramio - Photo of Highest motorway in England ] ]

History

Origin of the road

The origins of the M62 date back to the 1930s, where the need for a route between Lancashire and Yorkshire had been agreed after discussion by the respective highway authorities of the counties.cite web|url=http://www.iht.org/motorway/m62ecclesbdy.htm|title=M62: Eccles to county boundary|publisher=The Motorway Archive|accessdate=2007-05-19] At the same time, it was envisaged that a route between Liverpool and Hull was also needed, connecting the two ports to industrial Yorkshire.cite web|url=http://www.iht.org/motorway/m62master.htm|title=M62 in West Yorkshire|publisher=The Motorway Archive|accessdate=2007-05-19]

Some years later, after World War II, the Minister of Transport appointed engineers to inspect road standards between the A580 road in Swinton and the A1 road near Selby. In 1949, that year's Road Plan for South Lancashire specified the need for the dualling and grade separation of the A580 road, and bypasses of both Huyton and Cadishead.cite web|url=http://www.iht.org/motorway/m62queeccles.htm|title=M62: Queens Drive to Eccles|accessdate=2007-05-19] In 1952, the route for a trans-Pennine motorway, known as The Lancashire-Yorkshire Motorway, was laid down, with Ferrybridge chosen as the eastern terminus rather than Selby. By the 1960s, however, the proposed dualling of the A580 in Lancashire was considered inadequate, and there was "an urgent need" to link Liverpool to the motorway network. The route of the Lancashire-Yorkshire motorway was also considered inadequate as it failed to cater for several industrial towns in Yorkshire. When James Drake visited the United States in 1962, his experience with the Interstate Highway system led him to conclude that the Merseyside Expressway, planned only to run between Liverpool and the M6, would need extending to the Stretford-Eccles Bypass, thus creating a continuous motorway between Liverpool and Ferrybridge (a link between Ferrybridge and Hull was not considered until 1964). Initially these plans were unpopular and unsupported by the Ministry of Transport, but nevertheless the scheme was added to the Road Plan in 1963.

Construction

Liverpool Inner Motorway

Originally, Liverpool was intended to have an urban motorway along with Manchester, Leeds, and Newcastle.cite web|url=http://cbrd.co.uk/histories/lim/|title=Liverpool Inner Motorway|work=Histories|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|accessdate=2007-11-19] In the latter cases, the motorways were constructed (the A57(M), A58(M), A64(M) and A167(M) respectively). The M62 was intended to terminate upon the Inner Motorway, but due to the Inner Motorway not being constructed, the M62 link was not constructed either.cite web|url=http://cbrd.co.uk/histories/lim/m62.shtml|title=The Urban M62|work=Histories — Liverpool Inner Motorway|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|accessdate=2007-11-19] The proposed route would follow the railway into Liverpool as far as Edge Hill, with junctions with Rathbone Road and Durning Road, dropping two lanes at the latter, before terminating on the Islington Radial.

West of Manchester

Originally, the section of the M62 west of Manchester was intended to be a separate motorway linking Liverpool with Salford, but a continuous motorway between Leeds and Liverpool was deemed to be more feasible,cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m602/|title=M602 Motorway|work=Motorway Database|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|accessdate=2007-05-28] known as the M52. Construction of the motorway between Liverpool and Manchester started in 1971, with the construction of a link between the M57 and the M6 motorway. Concurrently, a contract to link the M6 with Manchester was under way, which required the removal of unsuitable material and drainage of the land. This section was completed in August 1974, creating a continuous link between Ferrybridge and Tarbock.

The section between Tarbock and Liverpool was the last section of the motorway to be completed, in 1976, due to the difficulties of building an urban motorway. In total, two viaducts, ten bridges and seven underpasses had to be constructed to secure the structural integrity of the surrounding residential area. The motorway, however, reached only as far as Queen's Drive (Junction 4), leaving the first three junctions unbuilt.

In Greater Manchester

The first part of the M62 to be built was the Stretford-Eccles Bypass, which now covers junctions 7 to 13 of the M60.cite web|title=M62 Stretford-Eccles Bypass|url=http://pathetic.org.uk/lost/m62/|accessdate=2007-05-28|publisher=Pathetic Motorways] Construction started in 1957, and opened in 1960.cite web|url=http://www.iht.org/motorway/m63stretecc.htm|title=M63 (now M60) Stretford-Eccles Bypass and Carrington Spur|accessdate=2007-05-28|publisher=The Motorway Archive]

Two separate motorways were planned, with the M52 running from Liverpool into Salford; the other, the M62, would link Pole Moor with the Stretford-Eccles Bypass.cite web|url=http://pathetic.org.uk/lost/m52/|title=M52 Liverpool to Manchester|accessdate=2007-05-28|publisher=Pathetic Motorways] The section between the interchange with the Stretford-Eccles Bypass and Salford is now occupied by the M602 motorway.

The Eccles-Pole Moor section was opened in 1971.cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m62/timeline.shtml|title=M62 - Timeline|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|work=Motorway Database|accessdate=2007-05-28] cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m60/timeline.shtml|title=M60 - Timeline|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|work=Motorway Database|accessdate=2007-05-28] Between Eccles and Pole Moor, 67 crossings of the motorway were required, including seven viaducts and eight junctions.

Between Windy Hill and Lofthouse

The first section of the Yorkshire section of the motorway was completed in 1970, between the county boundary at Windy Hill and Outlane.cite web|url=http://www.iht.org/motorway/m62bounpole.htm|title=M62: Boundary to Pole Moor|accessdate=2007-05-19|publisher=The Motorway Archive] The construction of the section between Windy Hill and Pole Moor was a difficult task, given the inhospitable hilly terrain, numerous peat bogs, and undesirable weather conditions. To build this section of motorway, convert|12000000|cuyd|m3 of material was moved, convert|8000000|cuyd|m3 of which were solid rock; convert|650000|cuyd|m3 of this material was peat, which had to be cut from the rock strata and was eventually deposited on hillsides adjacent to the motorway. In addition to the problems caused by removal of the material, the geology of the moors resulted in the engineers needing to split the carriageways for three-quarters of a mile in the middle of this section, sparing Stott Hall Farm from demolition.cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2007/02/02/020207_insideout_farmhouse_feature.shtml|title=Farming in the fast lane|publisher=BBC|date=2007-02-02|accessdate=2007-05-19] Two notable bridge constructions were the bridge carrying the Pennine Way, which is curved downwards with convert|85|ft|m|sing=on long cantilevers, and Scammonden Bridge, often called the longest single-span non-suspension bridge in Britain,cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/cgi-bin/simu.pl?road=m62w-25|accessdate=2007-05-30|title=M62|work=Motorway Simulator|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall] which carries a B road convert|120|ft|m above the motorway. The mile-long section between Pole Moor and Outlane suffered fewer problems, with the summer weather being satisfactory.cite web|url=http://www.iht.org/motorway/m62poleoutl.htm|title=M62: Pole Moor to Outlane|accessdate=2007-05-19|publisher=The Motorway Archive] Concurrently, a section of the motorway was being built between Gildersome and Lofthouse, resulting in the demolition of a significant proportion of the village of Tingley to build the eponymous interchange.

East of Lofthouse

Two contracts were awarded for the section of the M62 between Lofthouse and Ferrybridge in 1972, and both were completed in 1974.cite web|url=http://www.iht.org/motorway/m62lofthope.htm|title=M62: Lofthouse to Hopetown|publisher=The Motorway Archive|accessdate=2007-05-28] cite web|url=http://www.iht.org/motorway/m62hopeferr.htm|title=M62: Hopetown to Ferrybridge|publisher=The Motorway Archive|accessdate=2007-05-28] On the first contract, care was needed at the crossing of the River Calder due to the alluvial bedrock, while, on the second, precautions were taken as the length was built on old coal mine workings.

The sections between Ferrybridge and North Cave were the last sections of the motorway to be conceived and built. One of the most notable features is the bridge crossing the River Ouse west of Goole, a structure nearly one mile long, rising to thirty meters above ground level, which commenced construction in January 1973.

The bridge was delayed due to "steel supplies [being] a chronic headache"Citation|last = Hayward|first = David|newspaper = New Civil Engineer|date = 1975-08-14] and a partial collapse of the framework, caused by bolts joining a cross-beam to a trestle shearing.cite web|url=http://www.iht.org/motorway/m62goolouse.htm|title=M62: Goole — Ouse Bridge|publisher=The Motorway Archive|accessdate=2007-05-28] The problems with the Ouse Bridge pushed the opening of the whole section east of Goole back to May 1976.

Development after opening

In 1987, the Department of Transport proposed a relief road running parallel to the M62 to combat congestion around Manchester. The relief road would have been restricted for long distance traffic, and the current route, part of the Manchester Outer Ring Road (later the M60), used for local traffic. The proposal also suggested the closure of Junction 13. The proposal was designated a "long term" improvement in 1994, and ultimately cancelled on 23 November 1995.cite web|title=M62 Relief Road|url=http://pathetic.org.uk/unbuilt/m62_relief_road/|accessdate=2008-06-12|publisher=Pathetic Motorways]

In 2000, the section of the M62 between Eccles Interchange and Simister Interchange (Junctions 12 to 18) was renamed to the M60.cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m60/|title=M60|work=Motorway Database|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|accessdate=2007-05-28] Since then, two new junctions were opened — in December 2002, the previously missing Junction 8 was opened to allow access to the A574 and the Omega Development Site, [cite web|url=http://www.costain.com/news/bpfeb03/newsindepth8.htm|title=M62 junction completion raises region's economic prospects|publisher=Costain Group|date=2003|accessdate=2007-08-05] while in January 2006, Junction 32a was opened, to link the motorway with the recently upgraded A1(M).cite web|url=http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/documents/n050282_F_HM_NEWSLETTER.pdf|format=PDF|title=A1(M) Ferrybridge to Hook Moor open to Traffic — January 2006|publisher=Highways Agency|date=2005|accessdate=2007-05-28] The UK's first car-sharing lane on a motorway has recently been opened at Junction 26, allowing any eastbound traffic from the M606 with more than one occupant to use the lane. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/4822808.stm|title=First car-share lane to be built|publisher=BBC News|date=2006-03-20|accessdate=2007-05-28] An additional proposal to widen the motorway to four lanes between Junctions 25 and 28 to reduce congestion is in the planning stage. [cite web|url=http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/10575.aspx|title=M1 and M62 Motorway Improvements in Yorkshire|publisher=Department of Transport, Highways Agency|accessdate=2007-05-30]

Incidents

Since the motorway was opened, it has been the focus of two major events. On 4 February 1974, a bomb was detonated on a coach containing off-duty army personnel and family members, between Chain Bar (Junction 26) and Gildersome (Junction 27), resulting in the deaths of 12 people and injuries in 38 other people. After the attack, the nearby Hartshead Moor service station was used as a makeshift hospital and base of investigation.cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/content/articles/2006/11/29/m62_bombing_feature.shtml|title=Tragedy on the M62|publisher=BBC Bradford|accessdate=2007-11-30|date=2006-11-29] The Provisional Irish Republican Army were deemed responsible for the attacks.cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,2763,634024,0.html|title=Miscarriages of justice|date=2002-01-15|accessdate=2007-05-29|publisher="Guardian Unlimited"] On 28 February 2001, at 06:13 GMT, Gary Hart, a sleep-deprived driver, swerved off the M62 onto the East Coast Main Line near Selby. While Hart was calling the emergency services, a GNER southbound train collided with Hart's Land Rover, and subsequently derailed into the path of an oncoming freight train. 10 people were killed, including the drivers of both trains, and a further 82 were injured.

tott Hall Farm

Stott Hall Farm (coord|53.641599|-1.952222|region:GB_type:landmark|name=Stott Hall Farm) is an 18th-century farm on Windy Hill, situated between the two carriageways of the motorway between junctions 22 and 23. [cite web|url=http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=topn&cat=7|title=Motorways M60 to M69 - Most viewed|work=Photo gallery|publisher=SABRE|accessdate=2007-08-02] The road forks around the farm for engineering reasons owing to the surrounding area's geology, though a local myth persists that the road had to be split because the owners refused to sell the land during its construction. Due to its remoteness in the Pennines, the farm is often nicknamed as "the Little House on the Prairie", and is often used as an unofficial service station for stranded motorists. The farm, which was occupied by Ken and Beth Wild at the time of the motorway's opening,cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/features/2003/m62.shtml|title=Life in the Fast Lane|date=2002-05-24|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=BBC West Yorkshire] is now farmed by Paul Thorp. Due to its unusualness, it is one of the ten best-known sights from the motorway networkcite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/6959296.stm|title=Spaghetti Junction is top sight|publisher=BBC West Midlands|date=2007-08-23|accessdate=2007-11-19] and one of the best-known sights in West Yorkshire.cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/content/articles/2006/11/02/m62_farm_feature.shtml|title=The man in the middle!|date=2006-11-02|accessdate=2007-11-19] The farm was used as a location for an early episode of ITV drama series, "Where the Heart Is".

Impact upon culture

The M62 motorway is mentioned in a number of songs. One of the earliest songs is "Driving Away From Home (Jim's Tune)" by It's Immaterial, a 1986 song which described the motorway as a way of getting to Manchester from the band's hometown of Liverpool. [cite video
people = It's Immaterial
title = Driving Away from Home (Jim's Tune)
format = audio
quote = Why don't we cross the city limit, and head on down the M62? It's only 39 miles and 45 minutes to Manchester, that's my birth place you know.] "The Snake", a song from the album "Secrets" by The Human League, discusses the road as an alternative route to Hyde from the Snake Pass, the main subject of the song, and suggests the A628 as another alternative. [cite video
people = The Human League
title = The Snake
format = audio
quote = The way to Hyde, the sixty-two or six-two-eight, will do if you cannot be late, sometimes the only choice to make...]

More generally, "It's Grim Up North", by The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu, released in 1991, consisted of a list of towns and cities in the "grim North", in addition to the motorway itself. [cite video
people = The JAMS
title = It's Grim Up North
format = audio
quote = ...Lytham St. Annes, Clitheroe, Cleethorpes, the M62.] Doves named a song after the M62 on their 2002 album "The Last Broadcast", which is stated to have been recorded "under the M62 flyover at Northenden", although the M62 is several miles to the north. [cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/music/2002/04/29/last_broadcast.shtml|title=Doves — The Last Broadcast|publisher=BBC Manchester|date=2002-04-29|accessdate=2007-11-17] [cite book |author=Doves |title=The Last Broadcast (sleeve notes) |date=2002-04-29|publisher=Heavenly Records] "The Man Who Lives On The M62" by John Shuttleworth and "Tradition" by Kathryn Williams refer not to the motorway itself, but to Stott Hall Farm. Shuttleworth compares his emotions of sorrow to those of the inhabitants of the farm, [cite video
people = Graham Fellows
title = The Man Who Lives on the M62
format = audio
quote = And I feel like the man who lives on that farm which sits in the middle of the M62. I thought it would be alright, now I can't sleep at night, some things you cannot undo.] while Williams uses the urban legend of the owner's refusal to sell the farm as an example of tradition. [cite video
people = Kathryn Williams
title = Tradition
format = audio
quote = Like the man on his farm who fought for the motorway, to be built on either side, everywhere tradition draws circles to define.]

Rugby league is a popular sport in northern England—so much so that a 1994 survey revealed that sixty percent of people regularly attending rugby league matches lived in only four postal districts along the M62.cite web|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/200612110029|title=To Prezzagrad with Love|date=2006-12-11|accessdate=2007-11-17|publisher=New Statesman] Only two teams in the Super League, Catalans Dragons and Harlequins Rugby League, play outside northern England, and thus the phrase "M62 corridor" is sometimes used as a synonym for the rugby league heartlands.cite web|url=http://sport.independent.co.uk/rugby_league/article97925.ece| author=Dave Hadfield | title=Making the long walk from Hull to Widnes | date=2003-07-28|accessdate=2007-11-21| publisher=The Independent]

The first episode of the three-part BBC documentary "The secret life of the motorway" (first broadcast on BBC4 in 2007) covers the construction of the trans-Pennine section of the M62 extensively.

Traffic

The M62, in 2006, had a average daily traffic flow of 100,000 cars east of the Pennines, and 78,000 cars west of the Pennines.cite web|url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/172974/173025/221412/221546/227050/261688/roadtraffdata.xls|title=Road traffic data tables|work=Road Statistics 2006: Traffic, Speeds and Congestion|publisher=Department for Transport|date=2007-07-26|accessdate=2007-08-16|format=Microsoft Excel spreadsheet] The border between the two areas is defined to be the West Yorkshire/Lancashire border at Junction 22. For comparison, the statistics for 1999 were 90,000 and 70,000 respectively,cite web|url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/162259/162469/221412/221546/224925/224928/coll_roadtrafficstatistics2003a/roadtrafficstatistics2003|title=Road Traffic Statistics: 2003|pages=17|format=PDF|publisher=Department for Transport|accessdate=2007-08-16|date=2004-08-12] and the 2006 average daily traffic flow for the busiest stretch of motorway in the United Kingdom, the western M25 motorway (that is, between junctions 7 and 23), was 144,000 cars. Due to the high traffic flow in the area, the M62 between Halifax and Gildersome is one of the most congested roads in Britain, [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/uk/03/motorway_hotspots/html/m62.stm|title=M62 Junctions 24 to 27|work=In Depth: Traffic Congestion|accessdate=2007-05-30|year=2003] slowing to regular gridlock at Junction 27.cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/badjunctions/62-621-650.shtml|title=M62-M621-A650|work=Bad Junctions|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|accessdate=2007-05-30]

Route

In addition to passing Warrington, Manchester, Huddersfield, Halifax, Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield, the towns of Huyton, St Helens, Widnes, Bury, Rochdale, Dewsbury, Pontefract, Selby and Goole are designated as primary destinations along the road. The road is a terminus to two motorways: the M57 motorway near Prescot and the M18 motorway near Rawcliffe; and has four spur routes: the M602 motorway, which serves Manchester, the A627(M) motorway, which serves Oldham and Rochdale, the M606 motorway, which serves Bradford, and the M621 motorway, which serves Leeds. Despite Hull being listed as a primary destination,cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/cgi-bin/simu.pl?road=m62e-33|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|title=M62 East — Junction 30|work=Motorway simulator|accessdate=2007-11-17] the motorway downgrades near North Cave, sixteen miles west.cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/cgi-bin/simu.pl?road=m62e-44|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|title=M62 East — Junction 38|work=Motorway simulator|accessdate=2007-11-17]

The motorway starts on Queen's Drive, on Liverpool's middle ring road. From there it runs eastward to Liverpool's outer ring road, the M57. The route has four exits for Warrington: Junction 7, an interchange with the A57 road, Junction 8, which also houses Ikea,cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/cgi-bin/simu.pl?road=m62e-7|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|title=M62 East — Junction 8|work=Motorway simulator|accessdate=2007-11-17] Junction 9, which interchanges with the A49 road, originally intended to be a motorway itself,cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/cgi-bin/simu.pl?road=m62e-8|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|title=M62 East — Junction 9|work=Motorway simulator|accessdate=2007-11-17] and Junction 11. Between these is Junction 10, which is a cloverstack interchange with the M6 motorway. The M62 then crosses Chat Moss before interchanging with the M60 motorway.cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/cgi-bin/simu.pl?road=m62e-11|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|title=M62 East — Uneven surface (Chat Moss)|work=Motorway simulator|accessdate=2007-11-17] Due to original plans being to extend the section of the motorway into Manchester, motorists must turn off to stay on the route into Yorkshire.

In Greater Manchester, the motorway shares seven junctions, 12 to 18, with the M60 motorway. Junction 13, which is signposted for Swinton, is situated only half a mile from Junction 12, leaving exiting motorists the hazard of crossing the still-merging M62 traffic.cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/cgi-bin/simu.pl?road=m60c-17|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|title=M60 Clockwise — Junction 13|work=Motorway simulator|accessdate=2007-11-17] After this, there is Worsley Braided Interchange, which, in addition to serving Junctions 14 and 15, also serves Junctions 1 to 3 of the M61 motorway, which terminates to Preston.

Near Junction 22, the motorway gains a lane to climb Windy Hill,cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/cgi-bin/simu.pl?road=m62e-19|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|title=M62 East — Gain in lane (Windy Hill)|work=Motorway simulator|accessdate=2007-11-17] before crossing the border into Yorkshire and interchanging with the rural A672 road, reaching the highest point of any motorway in England (1,221 ft / 372 m). There is then a seven-mile (11 km) travel through the Pennines to the next junction, passing Scammonden Water and Stott Hall Farm. The next junction is Junction 23, which is only accessible for westbound traffic. After this, the road dips through a valley to Junction 24cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/cgi-bin/simu.pl?road=m62e-25|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|title=M62 East — Junction 24|work=Motorway simulator|accessdate=2007-11-17] and drops slowly before interchanging with the A644 road at Junction 25.cite web|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/cgi-bin/simu.pl?road=m62w-22|publisher=Chris's British Road Directory|first=Chris|last=Marshall|title=M62 West — Slow Lorries (Brighouse-Halifax)|work=Motorway simulator|accessdate=2007-11-17] Between Junctions 22 and 25, the road is used as a border between the metropolitan boroughs of Calderdale and Kirklees.cite web|url=http://www.calderdale.gov.uk/council/consultations/engage/downloaddoc.jsp?id=802|title=Waste Management Strategy|publisher=Calderdale MBC|format=PDF|accessdate=2007-11-17]

At Junction 26, named Chain Bar, the motorway interchanges with several roads: the M606 motorway, a spur into Bradford, the A58 road, which runs between Prescot and Wetherby, and the A638 road, which runs to Doncaster. The next junction also serves a spur route: the M621 motorway, before bypassing Leeds to the south to the interchange with the M1 motorway, Lofthouse Interchange, at Junction 29. East of Leeds, the motorway serves Wakefield at Junction 30 and crosses by the River Calder. At Junction 32a, the road is crossed by the A1(M) motorway, which also runs parallel to it for a short distance. The next junction serves the A162 road, previously the A1, and Ferrybridge service station. After Ferrybridge, the motorway becomes relatively flat, except for a mile-long bridge that crosses the River Ouse. For approximately ten miles after this, the road runs towards Hull, serving Howden and North Cave, before downgrading to the A63 road.

Exit list

References

External links

* Chris's British Road Directory
** [http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m62/ Motorway database entry]
** [http://www.cbrd.co.uk/media/video/m62.shtml Video travelling between Junctions 21 and 23]
** [http://cbrd.co.uk/histories/lim/ Liverpool Inner Motorway]
* The Motorway Archive
** [http://www.iht.org/motorway/m62master.htm The Lancashire - Yorkshire Motorway M62]
** [http://www.iht.org/motorway/m62queeccles.htm Queens Drive to Eccles]
** [http://www.iht.org/motorway/m62ecclesbdy.htm Eccles to Yorkshire county boundary]
** [http://www.iht.org/motorway/m62master.htm In West Yorkshire]
** [http://www.iht.org/motorway/m62goolncave.htm In East Yorkshire]
* [http://johndavies.typepad.com/ "Walking the M62"] , a blog, and later a book, about hiking along the M62.
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/content/articles/2006/11/02/m62_farm_feature.shtml BBC News Article on Stott Hall farm.]