M49 motorway

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M49 motorway
Length 5 miles
8 km
Direction North - South
Start Severn Beach
Primary destinations None
End Avonmouth
Construction dates 1996 - entire motorway
Motorways joined
M4 motorway

M5 motorway
Looking north at Dyer's Common with the Second Severn Crossing in the background.
Looking north at Dyer's Common with the Second Severn Crossing in the background.

The M49 motorway is a small motorway west of Bristol, England, that forms a shortcut between the M5 motorway and the Second Severn Bridge on the M4 motorway. The motorway was constructed in 1996[1], at the same time as the bridge. It is unique on the British network for being the only motorway accessible only from other motorways. The original plans provided for an intermediate junction with the A403 to serve an expanded industrial area, but neither this or the junction came to fruition[2].

The M49 is anomalously numbered, as it is entirely to the south of the M4 and should therefore begin with a 3.

Contents

[edit] Route

It begins at junction 18A of the M5 and then heads roughly north and north west before it reaches its terminal junction with the M4 at junction 22, just before the Second Severn Bridge. It cuts journey times for traffic to and from Avonmouth docks, Central and southern Bristol and South West England. Having a 2-way grade separated roundabout junction with the M4, it also fulfils the dual role of providing a bypass for the busy stretch of the M5 between the Avonmouth Bridge and the M4 in case of that route being shut.

[edit] Planed Constructions Along Route

There have been a few plans to build along the route of the M49, they have been, an industrial estate, A new stadium for Bristol Rovers and A inernational arena, to rival that of Cardiff's and the new stadium being constructed alongside Temple Meads. Although none of these ideas have ever, go further than just an idea.

[edit] Junctions

M49 Motorway
Northbound exits Junction Southbound exits
Cardiff, Newport, Bristol
SOUTH WALES M4
M4 J22 Start of Motorway
Start of Motorway M5 J18 Bristol, Taunton SOUTH WEST M5
Avonmouth, Bristol West A4

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Motorway symbol Motorways in the United Kingdom Motorway symbol
Great Britain: M1M2M3M4M5M6M6 TollM8M9M10M11M18M20M23M25M26M27M32M40M42M45M48M49M50M53M54M55M56M57M58M60M61M62M65M66M67M69M73M74M77M80M90M180M181M271M275M602M606M621M876M898
A1(M)A3(M)A38(M)A48(M)A57(M)A58(M)A64(M)A66(M)A74(M)A167(M)A194(M)A308(M)A329(M)A404(M)A601(M)A627(M)A823(M)
Northern Ireland: M1M2M3M5M12M22A8(M) edit
Past: M41M63A18(M)A40(M)A41(M)A102(M)A6144(M)    Unbuilt: M12M15M31M64    Future: M4 Toll
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