Misplaced Pages

A8(M)
Route information
Part of E01 and E18
Length	1 mi (1.6 km)
Existed	1966–present
Major junctions
North end	Newtownabbey
South end	Newtownabbey
Location
Country	United Kingdom
Constituent country	Northern Ireland
Road network
Roads in Northern Ireland Motorways A roads in Northern Ireland

The A8(M) is a motorway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is 1 mile (1.6 km) long and is a spur of the M2 motorway. It was opened on 24 October 1966 and built at the same time as the M2 section to which it connects. It is part of the unsigned European routes E01 and E18.

The A8(M) does not meet any other motorways directly, with one end connecting to the A8, and the other connecting to the A6. The roundabout junction which links the A8(M) to the M2 is the A6.

Although both sides of the road are the same width, the northbound direction has three lanes, one of which is only partly open to traffic, while southbound only has two. Despite being one of the shortest motorways in Northern Ireland, it still includes matrix displays and is classified as a separate road, unlike other similar spurs, such as the Walton Summit motorway spur of the M65 motorway, which are classified as parts of other motorways.

History

In 1956 proposals for several motorways, including the M2, were announced with the M2 running directly to Ballymena. Part of this alignment became the A8(M) when in 1964 further plans changed the route of the M2 via Antrim to Coleraine, away from its original direct alignment over difficult terrain, which is how the plans for construction were then progressed. This road was already under construction at Newtownabbey, so it was left as a spur.

This section was renamed the A8(M) as it links to the A8 continuing as an A-road all the way to Larne.

Junctions

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See also

• Roads in Ireland
• List of motorways in the United Kingdom

References

1. The Motorway Archive – M2 Northern Ireland Dates page Archived 14 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine
2. ^ CBRD Motorway Database – A8(M) (NI) URL accessed 17 June 2006
3. ^ Northern Ireland Roads Site – History of Motorway Plans
4. The Motorway Archive – M2 (Northern Ireland) Archived 25 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine
5. Northern Ireland Roads Site – A8(M)

External links

• CBRD
  • The Motorway Database – A8(M)
  • Northern Ireland film (QuickTime)
• Northern Ireland Roads Site – A8(M)
• The Motorway Archive – M2 (Northern Ireland)
• Pathetic Motorways: A8(M)

v t e Roads in Northern Ireland
Motorways	M1 M2 M3 M5 M12 M22 A8(M)
Main 'A' roads	A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A12 A20 A21 A22 A23 A25 A24 A26 A29 A32 A34 A36 A37 A38 A40 A43 A46 A47 A55 A505 A515 A509
Main 'B' roads	B1 B52 B53 B136 B193
Others	Antrim Road Botanic Avenue Crumlin Road Donegall Square Donegall Road Falls Road Glenshane Pass Great Victoria Street Lisburn Road Malone Road Ormeau Road Royal Avenue Sandy Row Shaftesbury Square Shankill Road Shore Road Springfield Road Stranmillis Road Westlink

v t e Motorways in the United Kingdom
Great Britain	M1 M11 M18 M180 M181 A1(M) A167(M) A194(M) A1077(M) M2 M20 M23 M25 M26 M27 M271 M275 M3 M32 A3(M) A38(M) A308(M) A329(M) M4 M40 M42 M45 M48 M49 A48(M) A404(M) M5 M50 M53 M54 M55 M56 M57 M58 A57(M) A58(M) M6 M6 Toll M60 M61 M62 M65 M66 M67 M69 M602 M606 M621 A64(M) A66(M) A627(M) M73 M74 M77 A74(M) M8 M80 M876 M898 A8(M) A823(M) M9 M90
Northern Ireland	M1 M2 M3 M5 M12 M22 A8(M)
Former	M10 M41 M63 M85 A18(M) A40(M) A41(M) A102(M) A601(M) A6144(M)
Unbuilt	M12 M15 M16 M31 M64 M4 relief road
Junctions ( Category)	Almondsbury Broxden Catthorpe Charing Cross, Glasgow Denton Island Handy Cross Longbridge Lydiate Ash Scotch Corner Spaghetti Junction Switch Island Thorney Thorpe Thurcroft
Bridges	Auchenshuggle Avonmouth Bromford Don Friarton Gathurst Kingston Medway to Nowhere Ouse Rakewood Scammonden Prince of Wales Severn Thames Thelwall Tinsley Queensferry Usk Weaver
Related articles	National Highways Traffic officers South Wales Trunk Road Agent Traffic officers Transport Scotland DfI Roads Preston By-pass Smart motorway Motorway service area List
Category Commons

• Motorways in Northern Ireland
• Roads in County Antrim