M1 motorway (Northern Ireland)
The M1 motorway in Northern Ireland runs for 61 kilometres (38 miles) from Belfast to Dungannon, bypassing Lisburn, Lurgan, Craigavon and Portadown on the way. The road was constructed in stages between 1962 and 1968, is the longest motorway in Northern Ireland, and the only one built to its full planned length. The main road for Dublin, the A1 road, diverges at Junction 8, just south of Lisburn.
The M1 is straight and flat on the 6 mile (10 km) stretch between Junctions 9 and 10 and on the 4 mile (6.4 km) stretch between Junctions 12 and 13, and an urban legend exists claiming that these were to be used as supplementary runways by the United States Air Force in the event of a major conflict with the Soviet Union. The motorway required some novel engineering, particularly between junctions 12 to 15 which was constructed across a peat bog up to 12 metres deep, and between junctions 2 and 6 which follows the route of the former Ulster Canal.
A number of junction numbers were omitted from the original plans for possible future connections, namely junctions 3, 4, 5 and 8. A new partial-access junction at Black's Road in Belfast was opened in 1988 and designated junction 3, while a new junction at Blaris, near Lisburn, opened in 2003 and was designated junction 8. This latter improvement also saw western accesses to and from junction 7 closed.
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Future improvements
The M1 at the Belfast end suffers from chronic congestion at peak times. Work commenced early in 2006 to replace the roundabout at junction 1 (Broadway) with a fully grade separated junction through which the M1 will flow directly onto the A12 Westlink dual-carriageway. The Grosvenor Road roundabout on the Westlink will also be replaced by a partial underpass, with south-facing sliproads only. As part of the scheme, the M1 and Westlink will be widened from two to three lanes in each direction between Stockman's Lane (M1 junction 2) and the Westlink's junction with Divis Street. The section between junction 2 (Stockmans Lane) and junction 3 (Blacks Road) had already been widened to 3 lanes in each direction and opened in August 2004.
As part of the provision is made for the M1 to be widened to three lanes in each direction as far as Sprucefield (junction 7). However it is unlikely that this scheme will proceed prior to the 2015 limit for the plan. On 31 July 2006, the government announced plans for a £45m flyover link directly to and from the A1 and M1 eastbound. If the scheme is approved after the consultation ends in Autumn 2006, construction will take place between 2010 and 2015.
Plans are also at statutory approval stage to upgrade the A4 from Dungannon to Ballygawley (approximately 12½ miles/20km) to a dual carriageway standard. The A4 flows directly from the western terminus of the M1. The new dual carriageway would be of a high standard and would include a safety barrier, a hard shoulder and also six grade separated junctions. Work is due to commence on site in late 2007.
Relationship with the A1
It has been argued that the motorway should have been built between Belfast and the border near Newry (running in parallel to the A1). When the motorways were planned in the early 1960s there was a plan to build a motorway (to be called the M11) from the M1 near the Maze to Newry. However, since relations between Unionist-dominated Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic were more strained then than they now are, motorway plans focused on improving communications within Northern Ireland. The M11 plan was cancelled for financial reasons in 1969 along with the M5 to Carrickfergus, M6 to Larne and M8 from the M1 to south Belfast. Unfortunately this has lead to both safety and congestion problems along the A1 between Sprucefield and the border. Fatal accidents are frequent, especially around Newry.
Work is well underway on the completion of a dual-carriageway upgrade of the A1 between Banbridge and Dundalk (across the border). Work on the final section from Beech Hill to Cloghogue is due to commence in Spring 2007. There have been numerous calls for the A1 to be upgraded to motorway standard, but there are currently no plans to do so.
See also
- M1 motorway (Republic of Ireland)
- M1 motorway (England)
- Roads in Ireland
- List of motorways in the United Kingdom
External links
- CBRD Motorway Database - M1 (NI)
- UK Roads Portal
- The Northern Ireland Roads Site
- Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan
Roads and Motorways in Northern Ireland | |
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Motorways: M1 | M2 | M3 | M5 | M12 | M22 | A8(M) | |
Main 'A' Roads: A1 | A2 | A7 | A24 | A36 | |
Belfast: Donegall Square | Falls Road | Malone Road | Shankill Road | Westlink |