M65 motorway

The M65 is a motorway in Lancashire, England. It runs from just south of Preston through the major junction of the M6 and M61 motorways, east past Darwen, Blackburn, Accrington, Burnley, Brierfield, Nelson and ends at Colne.

M65
Route information
Maintained by
Length25.8 mi (41.5 km)
Existed1981–present
History
  • Opened: 1981
  • Completed: 1997
Major junctions
West endPreston South
 
East endColne
Location
CountiesLancashire
Primary
destinations
Road network
← M62→ M66
Looking east along the newest section

History

The M65 was opened in the following sections:[1]

  • Junctions 1a to 6 M6 to Whitebirk in 1997
  • Junctions 6 to 7 (Whitebirk to Accrington/Hyndburn) in 1984
  • Junctions 7 to 10 (Hyndburn to Burnley) in 1983
  • Junctions 10 to 12 (Burnley to Brierfield) in 1981
  • Junctions 12 to 13 (Brierfield to Nelson) in 1983
  • Junctions 13 to 14 (Nelson to Colne) in 1988

The first section of the motorway was opened in 1981, connecting Burnley to Brierfield. Over the years, several extensions were made, the largest being the link from Whitebirk to the M6 and M61 motorways in 1997.[2][3][4]

This extension was the scene of a standoff between construction security workers and protesters forming part of the environmental direct action movement. Protesters occupied abandon building in Darwen, parts of Stanworth Woods near Feniscowles and needed to be physically removed.[5]

Junctions 1a to 6 were opened 18 December 1997 by Jack Straw, Home Secretary and Member of Parliament for Blackburn. The opening ceremony took place on the westbound carriageway beneath junction 5 at Guide with a heavy police presence as protesters threatened to bring a halt to the proceedings.

Much of the 1997 extension was relaid shortly after it opened with a new, quieter tarmac because the amount of road noise had been so great that it prevented birds of prey (mainly owls) from foraging effectively.

Originally, the M65 was planned to go via the town centre of Blackburn.[6]

Features

Unusual spur road (Walton Summit Motorway)

When the M65 was extended, a slip road was built at Walton Summit, southeast of Preston, from the roundabout linking junction 9 of the M61 with junction 2 of the M65 to the Walton Summit industrial estate. It is a single-carriageway road, with two lanes towards the junction (uphill) and one away (downhill). It is around 600 yards long and replaced an A-road spur of the A6 that was built in the 1980s.[7]

According to the statutory instrument that authorised its construction, the road is officially classified as a 'special link road to connect the [M65/M61 roundabout] with the all-purpose road known as Tramway Lane'.[8] According to Lancashire County Council, it is the 'M61 Link Tramway Lane to Junction 9' and is part of the M61.[9] In 2007, the approach signs from Walton Summit were modified to read 'M61', but the signs still mark the roundabout at the eastern end.

Legislation
Between junctions 7 & 8

Each motorway in England requires that a statutory instrument be published, detailing the route of the road, before it can be built. The dates given on these statutory instruments relate to when the document was published, and not when the road was built. Provided below is an incomplete list of the Statutory Instruments relating to the route of the M65.

  • Statutory Instrument 1991 No. 722: The M65 Motorway (Bamber Bridge to Whitebirk Section, Blackburn Southern Bypass) and Connecting Roads Scheme 1991. S.I. 1991/722
  • Statutory Instrument 1992 No. 2651: The M65 Motorway (Bamber Bridge to Whitebirk Section, Blackburn Southern Bypass) and Connecting Roads Scheme 1991 Variation Scheme 1992. S.I. 1992/2651

Junctions

Data from driver location signs are used to provide distance information.[10]

M65 motorway
mile km Eastbound exits Junction Westbound exits
25.8 41.6 Skipton, Keighley, Nelson, Colne A6068 J14 Start of motorway
24.4 39.3 Nelson, Kendal A682 J13 Nelson A682
23.3 37.5 Nelson, Brierfield A682 J12 Brierfield A682
21.0 33.8 No access J11 Burnley, Nelson (A679, A682) B6434
19.9 32.1 Burnley (Central), Padiham A671 J10 Burnley (Central), Padiham A671
18.5 29.8 Burnley (West) A679 J9 No access
17.3 27.8 Bury, Manchester A56
Clitheroe A6068		 J8 Bury, Manchester A56
Clitheroe A6068
14.5 23.3 Accrington, Clitheroe A6185 J7 Accrington A6185
12.4 19.9 Blackburn (North & East) A678 J6 Blackburn (North & East) A678
10.1 16.2 B6232, Shadsworth A6077 J5 B6232, Shadsworth A6077
8.5 13.6 Blackburn (South), Bolton, Darwen A666, Blackburn with Darwen services J4
Services		 Blackburn (South), Bolton, Darwen A666, Blackburn with Darwen services
4.9 7.9 Blackburn (West) A674
Bolton A675		 J3 Blackburn (West) A674
2.2 3.5 Manchester, The North West, Lancaster M61 (M6) J2 Manchester, The North West, Lancaster M61 (M6)
0.7 1.2 The South, Birmingham, The North West, Lancaster M6 J1 The South, Birmingham, The North West, Lancaster M6
0.6 1.0 Start of motorway J1A Preston, Bamber Bridge A6

See also

References
  1. "M65. Calder Valley Motorway". UK Motorway Archive. CIHT. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  2. "M65. Burnley to Colne (J10 to J14)". UK Motorway Archive. CIHT. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  3. "M65. Whitebirk to Burnley (J6 to J10)". UK Motorway Archive. CIHT. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  4. "M65. A682(M6) to Whitebirk (J1A to J6)". UK Motorway Archive. CIHT. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  5. "M65-extension protesters talk of the town in 1995". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  6. "M65". Roads.org.uk.
  7. "Walton Summit Motorway". Pathetic Motorways. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  8. "The M65 Motorway (Bamber Bridge to Whitebirk Section, Blackburn Southern Bypass) and Connecting Roads Scheme 1991: Schedule 2", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 15 March 1991, SI 1991/722 (sch. 2), retrieved 5 January 2021
  9. "MARIO". Lancashire County Council. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
  10. Driver Location Signs, Highway Agency Area 10 (map) – Highway Authority, 2009

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