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M5
M5 highlighted in blue Show interactive map Shown with UK motorway network Show UK motorways map
Looking south towards junction 20
Route information
Maintained by National Highways
Length	162.9 mi (262.2 km)
Existed	1962–present
History	Opened: 1962 Completed: 1977
Major junctions
Northeast end	West Bromwich
Major intersections	M6 motorway J4a → M42 motorway J8 → M50 motorway J15 → M4 motorway J18a → M49 motorway
Southwest end	Exminster
Location
Country	United Kingdom
Counties	West Midlands, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Somerset, Devon
Primary destinations	West Bromwich Birmingham Bromsgrove Worcester Cheltenham Gloucester Bristol Weston-super-Mare Bridgwater Taunton Exeter
Road network
Roads in the United Kingdom Motorways A and B road zones
← M4 → M6

The M5 is a motorway in England linking the Midlands with the South West. It runs from junction 8 of the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley. It continues past Bromsgrove (and from Birmingham and Bromsgrove is part of the Birmingham Motorway Box), Droitwich Spa, Worcester, Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Bristol, Portishead, Clevedon, Weston-super-Mare, Bridgwater, Taunton, Tiverton, Cullompton terminating at junction 31 for Exeter.

Route

The M5 quite closely follows the route of the A38 road. The two deviate slightly around Bristol and the area south of Bristol from junctions 16 to the Sedgemoor services north of junction 22. The A38 goes straight through the centre of Bristol and passes by Bristol Airport, while the M5 skirts both, with access to the airport from junctions 18, 19 or 22. The A38 continues south into Devon from junction 31, near Exminster. Junction 15 of the M5 is a large four-level stack interchange, named the Almondsbury Interchange, where the M5 meets the M4. The Avonmouth Bridge, between junctions 18 and 19, is often a bottleneck during heavy traffic periods, due mainly to lane drops at either end of the bridge for the respective junctions, and the sharp angle in the centre of the bridge, which causes larger vehicles to slow considerably. There are split-level carriageways where the M5 ascends the hillsides above the Gordano Valley, between Portishead, junction 19 and Clevedon, junction 20. Between junction 21, Weston-super-Mare and junction 22, Burnham-on-Sea, the M5 passes by an isolated landmark hill called Brent Knoll and crosses the western end of the Mendip Hills. The Willow Man sculpture is visible from both carriageways, and acts as a landmark just to the south of junction 23, which as of 2021 had degraded and lost its head and arms.

History

Construction

The first 26 miles (42 km) of the M5 motorway was constructed as a dual two-lane motorway with Worcestershire County Council acting as engineer. This section – from junction 4 (Lydiate Ash) in the north to a trumpet junction with the M50 in the south – opened in July 1962. This original section of the M5, from junctions 4 to 8, was widened to provide six lanes in the early 1990s. During this work, the northbound Strensham services were rebuilt further away from the modified M50 junction.

Worcestershire County Council, the police and particularly the county surveyor of Worcestershire made repeated representations that a dual three-lane standard motorway was appropriate. The Ministry of Transport insisted that a dual two-lane motorway would be built at a cost of around £8 million. The Motorways Archive also records that the carriageways were also built to a lower overall width of 88 feet (27 m) rather than 100 feet (30 m) to reduce the loss of agricultural land. When the decision became necessary to widen the Worcestershire section of M5, it cost £123 million.

The 2-mile (3.2 km) dual two-lane section between junctions 16 and 17 built at Filton, near Bristol, was also opened in 1962, and was intended to replace the pre-war Filton bypass. Gloucestershire County Council acted as engineer for this section, which was widened to a dual three-lane motorway in 1969.

North of junction 4 the M5 was constructed in sections, from 1967 to 1970, together with the Frankley services. Much of the northern section beyond junction 3, from about Oldbury to the junction with the M6 motorway, was constructed as an elevated dual three-lane motorway over Birmingham Canal (Old Main Line), Birmingham Canal (New Main Line), and Titford Pool using concrete pillars.

The M5 was also extended southwards, in sections, from 1967 to 1977, through Gloucestershire and Somerset, to Exeter in Devon as a dual three-lane motorway, together with the Strensham services.

The section from Huntworth (J24) to Blackbrook, on the east of Taunton, (J25) was built by A. Monk Ltd, of Padgate, with a contract for £5,721,086 in May 1973 for seven miles. The southbound lane opened on Tuesday 4 November 1975, and the northbound lane opened on Tuesday 25 November 1975. But the motorway section was not legally a motorway for the first few weeks, as it was incomplete. The northbound lane was not fully finished until Easter 1976. Monk Ltd had asked for two extensions to the commercial contract, and some construction subcontractors had entered into liquidation.

The short section between junctions 27 and 29 was built between 1967 and 1969, by Devon County Council, as the A38 Cullompton Bypass, with the intention that it should become part of the M5. The termini for this section have since been removed, although part of the southern terminal roundabout is now used as an emergency access. The section was developed to motorway standards, and incorporated into the M5 in 1975.

Naming

When the initial English motorway system, including the now-M5, was being planned, no numbering system had been agreed. A 1958 Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation memo suggested basing motorway numbers on the existing A road numbering scheme, suggesting that "M5" would be either the section of the London-Doncaster motorway (now the M1) south of Birmingham or the spur from it to Birmingham (now part of the M6), and that the Birmingham to Bristol motorway, now the M5, could be the M38. However, by 1959, the name M5 for the Birmingham to Bristol motorway had been agreed. Rather than take its number from the sector radiating from London, as would be the case for a non-motorway road, it formed (along with the Bristol Channel and the M6) the boundary of a new numbering sector for motorways.

Operational history

Junction 1 surrounds a surviving gatehouse from the former Sandwell Hall. The section from junctions 16 and 18 was illuminated in about 1973 as part of a wider policy announced by Minister for Transport Industries, John Peyton, in 1972 to illuminate the 86 miles (138 km) of UK motorway particularly prone to fog.

In the late 1980s, junction 4a was built as part of the M42 motorway construction project. The route of the M42 was decided as early as 1972 but, owing to planning delays, the short section of the M42 north of Bromsgrove did not open until December 1989.

As the M5 traffic increased in the 1980s, junction 11, the main Gloucester and Cheltenham access (via the A40 Golden Valley by-pass) became increasingly congested. At the same time there were plans for large scale business and housing developments at Brockworth, near Gloucester. To relieve junction 11 of some of the new traffic generated, & avoid more congestion around both Cheltenham & Gloucester, a new junction, 11A, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south of junction 11, was constructed and opened in the mid-1990s. A further feature of this junction was to create a new route from the south west Midlands to London and central southern England via the A417, A419 and the M4 at junction 15.

The Avonmouth Bridge was converted to eight lanes (four lanes in each direction) in the early 2000s. Later, in 2005–2006, parts of the M5 between junctions 17 and 20 were widened to 7 lanes (four lanes climbing the hills and three lanes descending the hills); variable message signs were added and parts of the central reservation was converted to a concrete step barrier. During this stage of construction the M5 became Britain's longest contraflow system, spanning 9 miles (14 km) between junctions 19 and 20. The M5 contraflow was said to be the most complicated ever built in the UK as the motorway is on a split level around the steep hills of the Gordano Valley; meaning four lanes plus an additional emergency vehicle lane were squeezed into that section.

In 2002, extended exits for junction 12 were constructed. The Highways Agency did not anticipate the traffic flows through the junction and the resultant queues soon extended back onto the motorway.

The Cullompton services are signed on the motorway in the northbound direction only. This was implemented to reduce congestion at the low capacity junction, although there is still access available to the services southbound through the junction. Also, the northbound exit slip to the junction was reduced to one lane instead of two to reduce traffic on the small roundabout at the west side of the junction.

In 2009, it was announced that the lighting between junctions 30 and 31 would be turned off between midnight and 05:00 to save energy.

Proposals were announced in September 2009 for a new Gloucester Services between junctions 11a and 12. A planning application was submitted in December 2009. Stroud District councillors approved the services in August 2010. The Services opened in May 2014

In September 2020, Highways England announced that the section between junctions 1 and 2 in the West Midlands will be one of four in England to have its speed limit reduced to 60 mph (97 km/h) in a bid to reduce high levels of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide in the particular area.

Future developments

In 2020, it was announced that junction 10 would be undergoing significant roadworks as part of a redevelopment project on the A4019. The works will involve making the interchange full-access and dualling the A4019 east of the junction into Cheltenham. Works will commence in 2023 (subject to permission being granted) and be completed in 2024, according to the Gloucestershire County Council.

There have been suggestions that the Government extend the M5 south, to the city of Plymouth, which currently relies on the A38 road. The argument for such an extension has intensified in light of the closure of Plymouth City Airport in 2011, and the 2014 breaching of the South Devon Railway sea wall following storms that in turn, cut off Plymouth and Cornwall's rail access. However this would involve a number of reconstruction works including realignment where the current route of the A38 follows tight bends.

Improvements to junction 25 at Taunton were approved with an £18 million programme that will include the enlargement of the junction roundabout, the widening of the eastern junction slip road exit, and an additional roundabout southeast of the junction to provide access to a new business park and to a proposed bypass of the hamlet of Henlade.

Incidents and events

Discovery of bones

In October 2009, workmen clearing vegetation from the slip road at junction 14 discovered human bones in a black bin bag dumped in the bushes. The police were called soon after, and it was soon established that the bones were those of a young female. A few days later, DNA found on the remains confirmed that the body was that of Melanie Hall, a Bath hospital worker who disappeared in June 1996 after a night out in Bath, and who had been declared dead in absentia in 2004. Dental records confirmed that the body was hers, and the police began a formal investigation into her murder. As of 2016 no one has been prosecuted in connection with this case. Some keys were also discovered and the police contacted Ford to help them trace the vehicle.

2011 multi-vehicle collision

On the evening of Friday 4 November 2011, seven people were killed and a further 51 injured in a major crash involving over 50 vehicles which included cars, vans and large goods vehicles near junction 25 in West Monkton, near Taunton. Several vehicles were burnt out in the fire which developed at the scene as the result of a series of explosions, and the road surface was seriously damaged, not just by the fire and explosions, but also by fuel spillage. The cause of the crash, which took place in wet foggy conditions close to a firework display, was investigated. One person was charged for breach under health and safety laws and found not guilty.

Junctions

This article contains a bulleted list or table of intersections which should be presented in a properly formatted junction table. Please consult this guideline for information on how to create one. Please improve this article if you can. (December 2021)

Data from driver location signs are used to provide distance and carriageway identifier information. Where both the start and end point of the junction are known, both have been included.

M5 motorway junctions
mile	km	North-east bound exits (B carriageway)	Junction	South-west bound exits (A carriageway)	Coordinates
0.0	0.0	London (M1, M40), Birmingham (N&E), The North West, Walsall, Wolverhampton M6	M6 J8	Start of motorway	52°32′10″N 1°58′12″W / 52.5360°N 1.9699°W / 52.5360; -1.9699 (M6, Junction 8)
2.7 3.3	4.3 5.3	West Bromwich, Birmingham (NW) A41	J1	West Bromwich, Sandwell, Birmingham (NW) A41	52°30′43″N 1°58′31″W / 52.5119°N 1.9754°W / 52.5119; -1.9754 (M5, Junction 1)
5.2 5.8	8.4 9.3	Dudley, Wolverhampton, Sandwell A4123	J2	Birmingham (W), Dudley A4123	52°29′34″N 2°01′08″W / 52.4927°N 2.0188°W / 52.4927; -2.0188 (M5, Junction 2)
8.6 9.0	13.8 14.5	Birmingham (W&C) A456	J3	Kidderminster A456	52°26′57″N 2°00′55″W / 52.4491°N 2.0152°W / 52.4491; -2.0152 (M5, Junction 3)
		Entering West Midlands		Entering Worcestershire	52°25′58″N 2°01′03″W / 52.4329°N 2.0175°W / 52.4329; -2.0175
		Frankley services	Services	Frankley services	52°25′45″N 2°01′04″W / 52.4292°N 2.0179°W / 52.4292; -2.0179 (M5, Frankley services)
14.0 14.4	22.5 23.2	Birmingham (SW) A38, Stourbridge A491	J4	Birmingham (SW), Bromsgrove A38	52°22′43″N 2°02′47″W / 52.3786°N 2.0465°W / 52.3786; -2.0465 (M5, Junction 4)
16.1	25.9	End of variable speed limit	J4A	London (M40), National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham M42	52°21′15″N 2°04′16″W / 52.3543°N 2.0711°W / 52.3543; -2.0711 (M5, Junction 4A)
16.6	26.7	The North East, National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham M42		Start of variable speed limit
21.4 21.7	34.5 35.0	Bromsgrove, Droitwich A38	J5	Droitwich A38	52°17′15″N 2°07′13″W / 52.2876°N 2.1202°W / 52.2876; -2.1202 (M5, Junction 5)
27.0 27.5	43.5 44.2	Worcester (N), Kidderminster A449	J6	Worcester (N) A449, Evesham A4538	52°12′46″N 2°09′28″W / 52.2128°N 2.1579°W / 52.2128; -2.1579 (M5, Junction 6)
		Start of variable speed limit		End of variable speed limit
30.2 30.7	48.6 49.4	Worcester (S), Evesham A44	J7	Worcester (S) A44	52°10′07″N 2°10′49″W / 52.1687°N 2.1803°W / 52.1687; -2.1803 (M5, Junction 7)
		Strensham services (northbound)	Services	No access	52°03′55″N 2°09′28″W / 52.0652°N 2.1577°W / 52.0652; -2.1577 (M5, Strensham services (northbound))
		No access		Strensham services (southbound)	52°03′27″N 2°08′33″W / 52.0574°N 2.1426°W / 52.0574; -2.1426 (M5, Strensham services (southbound))
39.7	63.9	Entering Worcestershire	J8	South Wales, Ross M50	52°02′52″N 2°08′08″W / 52.0478°N 2.1356°W / 52.0478; -2.1356 (M5, Junction 8)
40.0	64.4	South Wales, Ross M50		Entering Gloucestershire
		Entering Gloucestershire		River Avon	52°01′51″N 2°07′32″W / 52.0307°N 2.1255°W / 52.0307; -2.1255 (M5, River Avon)
		River Avon		Entering Worcestershire
		Entering Worcestershire		Entering Gloucestershire	52°00′41″N 2°07′16″W / 52.0113°N 2.1211°W / 52.0113; -2.1211
43.4 43.9	69.8 70.6	Tewkesbury A438, Evesham A46	J9	Evesham A46, Tewkesbury A438	51°59′47″N 2°07′25″W / 51.9965°N 2.1237°W / 51.9965; -2.1237 (M5, Junction 8)
48.3 48.5	77.7 78.0	No access (on-slip only)	J10	Cheltenham A4019	51°55′44″N 2°08′24″W / 51.9290°N 2.1400°W / 51.9290; -2.1400 (M5, Junction 10)
51.0 51.4	82.1 82.8	Gloucester (North & East), Cheltenham A40	J11	Cheltenham, Gloucester (North & East), Staverton A40	51°53′23″N 2°09′05″W / 51.8897°N 2.1514°W / 51.8897; -2.1514 (M5, Junction 11)
53.4 54.0	85.9 86.9	Gloucester (West), Cirencester A417	J11A	Gloucester (West), London, Swindon, Cirencester A417	51°51′28″N 2°10′25″W / 51.8578°N 2.1735°W / 51.8578; -2.1735 (M5, Junction 11A)
		Gloucester services	Services	Gloucester services	51°51′44″N 2°10′00″W / 51.8621°N 2.1667°W / 51.8621; -2.1667 (Gloucestershire gateway services)
60.2 60.5	96.9 97.4	Gloucester (Central & South) (A38)	J12	Gloucester (Central & South) (A38)	51°47′54″N 2°17′20″W / 51.7982°N 2.2889°W / 51.7982; -2.2889 (M5, Junction 12)
63.3 63.7	101.8 102.5	Stroud A419	J13	Stroud, Dursley A419	51°45′35″N 2°19′22″W / 51.7598°N 2.3227°W / 51.7598; -2.3227 (M5, Junction 13)
71.9	115.7	Michaelwood services	Services	Michaelwood services	51°39′24″N 2°25′45″W / 51.6567°N 2.4292°W / 51.6567; -2.4292 (M5, Michaelwood services)
		Entering Gloucestershire		Entering South Gloucestershire
73.6 73.9	118.4 119.0	Dursley B4509	J14	Thornbury B4509	51°38′12″N 2°27′08″W / 51.6368°N 2.4521°W / 51.6368; -2.4521 (M5, Junction 14)
		End of variable speed limit	J15 Almondsbury Interchange	Start of variable speed limit	51°33′05″N 2°33′09″W / 51.5514°N 2.5524°W / 51.5514; -2.5524 (M5, Junction 15)
81.1 81.7	130.5 131.5	South Wales, Chepstow, Newport, Cardiff (M48) M4(W) London, Swindon, Bath, Bristol (C) M4(E)		London, Swindon, Bath, Bristol (C) (M32) M4(E) South Wales, Chepstow, Newport, Cardiff (M48) M4(W)
82.0 82.3	132.0 132.5	Thornbury, Filton A38	J16	Thornbury, Filton A38	51°32′50″N 2°34′06″W / 51.5472°N 2.5684°W / 51.5472; -2.5684 (M5, Junction 16)
84.2 84.6	135.5 136.2	Bristol (W), Cribbs Causeway A4018	J17	Bristol (W), Cribbs Causeway A4018	51°31′43″N 2°36′37″W / 51.5286°N 2.6102°W / 51.5286; -2.6102 (M5, Junction 17)
		Start of variable speed limit		End of variable speed limit
		Entering South Gloucestershire		Entering Bristol	51°30′47″N 2°39′08″W / 51.5130°N 2.6521°W / 51.5130; -2.6521
87.4 87.7	140.6 141.2	South Wales, Cardiff, Newport M49 (M4(W))	J18A	No access (on-slip only)	51°30′08″N 2°40′26″W / 51.5021°N 2.6740°W / 51.5021; -2.6740 (M5, Junction 18A)
88.0 88.2	141.6 142.0	Bristol, Bristol , Shirehampton, Avonmouth, Docks A4, Aust (A403)	J18	Avonmouth, Bristol (West), Bristol A4	51°30′09″N 2°40′22″W / 51.5026°N 2.6728°W / 51.5026; -2.6728 (M5, Junction 18)
		Entering Bristol		Avonmouth Bridge	51°29′20″N 2°41′34″W / 51.4890°N 2.6928°W / 51.4890; -2.6928 (M5, Avonmouth Bridge)
		Avonmouth Bridge		Entering Somerset
90.1	145.0	Clifton (Toll), Portishead, Royal Portbury Dock A369 Gordano services	J19 Services	Portishead, Royal Portbury Dock A369 Gordano services	51°28′39″N 2°42′42″W / 51.4774°N 2.7117°W / 51.4774; -2.7117 (M5, Junction 19)
96.7	155.6	Clevedon, Nailsea B3133	J20	Clevedon, Nailsea B3133	51°25′56″N 2°50′19″W / 51.4322°N 2.8387°W / 51.4322; -2.8387 (M5, Junction 20)
		Blind Yeo			51°25′35″N 2°50′37″W / 51.4263°N 2.8435°W / 51.4263; -2.8435 (M5, Blind Yeo)
102.3	164.6	Weston-super-Mare, Bristol (South) A370	J21	Weston-super-Mare A370	51°21′32″N 2°53′37″W / 51.3589°N 2.8936°W / 51.3589; -2.8936 (M5, Junction 21)
		River Axe			51°17′27″N 2°53′51″W / 51.2907°N 2.8974°W / 51.2907; -2.8974 (M5, River Axe)
109.1	175.6	Sedgemoor services	Services	Sedgemoor services	51°16′08″N 2°55′17″W / 51.2689°N 2.9214°W / 51.2689; -2.9214 (M5, Sedgemoor services)
111.7	179.8	Weston-super-Mare, Burnham-on-Sea, Bristol (South), Bristol , A38	J22	Highbridge, Burnham-on-Sea A38	51°14′10″N 2°56′48″W / 51.2360°N 2.9467°W / 51.2360; -2.9467 (M5, Junction 22)
		River Brue			51°12′49″N 2°57′46″W / 51.2136°N 2.9629°W / 51.2136; -2.9629 (M5, River Brue)
		Huntspill River			51°11′39″N 2°58′15″W / 51.1941°N 2.9708°W / 51.1941; -2.9708 (M5, Huntspill River)
116.9	188.1	Highbridge (A38), Glastonbury, Wells A39	J23	Bridgwater (A38), Minehead, Glastonbury, Wells A39	51°10′01″N 2°58′51″W / 51.1670°N 2.9809°W / 51.1670; -2.9809 (M5, Junction 23)
		King's Sedgemoor Drain			51°09′50″N 2°58′53″W / 51.1639°N 2.9814°W / 51.1639; -2.9814 (M5, King's Sedgemoor Drain)
		River Parrett			51°06′54″N 2°58′45″W / 51.1150°N 2.9793°W / 51.1150; -2.9793 (M5, River Parrett)
121.8 122.0	196.0 196.3	Bridgwater, Minehead A38 Bridgwater services	J24 Services	Minehead (A39) Bridgwater services	51°06′07″N 2°59′38″W / 51.1019°N 2.9940°W / 51.1019; -2.9940 (M5, Junction 24)
		River Tone			51°01′23″N 3°03′28″W / 51.0230°N 3.0578°W / 51.0230; -3.0578 (M5, River Tone)
128.4 128.6	206.7 206.9	Taunton, Yeovil A358	J25	Taunton, Honiton, Yeovil, Weymouth A358	51°01′04″N 3°03′49″W / 51.0178°N 3.0636°W / 51.0178; -3.0636 (M5, Junction 25)
133.3	214.5	Taunton Deane services	Services	Taunton Deane services	50°58′37″N 3°08′48″W / 50.9769°N 3.1468°W / 50.9769; -3.1468 (M5, Taunton Deane services)
135.3 135.5	217.8 218.0	Wellington, Taunton A38	J26	Wellington A38	50°58′23″N 3°11′29″W / 50.9730°N 3.1914°W / 50.9730; -3.1914 (M5, Junction 26)
		Entering Somerset		Entering Devon	50°56′58″N 3°16′25″W / 50.9495°N 3.2737°W / 50.9495; -3.2737
143.4 143.7	230.7 231.3	Barnstaple, Tiverton A361, Wellington A38	J27	Tiverton, Barnstaple A361	50°55′04″N 3°21′24″W / 50.9177°N 3.3566°W / 50.9177; -3.3566 (M5, Junction 27)
147.6 147.9	237.5 238.0	Cullompton B3181 Cullompton services	J28 Services	Honiton A373, Cullompton B3181	50°51′39″N 3°23′02″W / 50.8609°N 3.3838°W / 50.8609; -3.3838 (M5, Junction 28)
157.7 158.1	253.8 254.4	Honiton, Exeter A30	J29	Honiton A30 (East), Exeter	50°43′44″N 3°27′45″W / 50.7288°N 3.4624°W / 50.7288; -3.4624 (M5, Junction 29)
158.9 159.3	255.7 256.3	Exeter A379, Exmouth A376, Sidmouth (A3052) Exeter services	J30 Services	Dawlish, Exeter A379, Sidmouth, Exmouth A376 Exeter services	50°42′45″N 3°27′50″W / 50.7124°N 3.4638°W / 50.7124; -3.4638 (M5, Junction 30)
162.4 162.6	261.4 261.7	Start of motorway	J31	Truro, Bodmin, Okehampton A30	50°40′48″N 3°31′00″W / 50.6801°N 3.5166°W / 50.6801; -3.5166 (M5, Junction 31)
162.7	261.8	Okehampton A30 (West), Exeter (A377) Non-motorway traffic		End of motorway Road continues as A38 towards Plymouth, Torquay	50°40′41″N 3°31′22″W / 50.6780°N 3.5228°W / 50.6780; -3.5228 (M5 transition to A380)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Junction information gathered from Advanced Direction Signs March to June 2011 (J4A – J31), all updated as of August 2020. Coordinates from Google Maps, taken at the approximate centre of the junction

Download coordinates as:

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• GPX (primary coordinates)
• GPX (secondary coordinates)

Cultural references

M5#1 is a song from the 1994 album Middle Class Revolt by post-punk band The Fall which uses the M5 to describe reverting to a romanticised agricultural past that never really existed.

See also

• List of motorways in the United Kingdom

References

Notes

1. "M5 Somerset Willow Man: 'Can't let him fall apart'". BBC News. 13 August 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
2. ^ Charlesworth (1984), pp. 135–140
3. ^ Charlesworth (1984), pp. 100–123, Table 7.3
4. ^ "M5 Widening between Junctions 3 & 8". CIHT. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
5. Ordnance Survey One Inch Map of Great Britain, Series 7 Sheet 156, major roads revised 1963.
6. Cheddar Valley Gazette Friday 4 May 1973, page 14
7. Cheddar Valley Gazette Thursday 27 November 1975, page 8
8. "SABRE Photo Gallery".
9. "News: Motorway lighting". Autocar. Vol. 137 nbr 3978. 13 July 1972. p. 19.
10. "The Motorway Archive – M42". Iht.org. Archived from the original on 14 June 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
11. Sky News – UK's Longest Contraflow Archived 14 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
12. "'Most complex' contraflow". BBC News. 29 October 2005. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
13. Western Daily Press – West beware! It's Britain's biggest road contraflow
14. "Agency admits error over junction". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 18 November 2005. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
15. "Night switch-off for M5 lighting". BBC News. 12 March 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
16. "Eco-services plan for M5". This is Gloucestershire. 17 September 2009. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2010.
17. "Plans for Gloucestershire M5 service station approved". BBC News Gloucestershire. 10 August 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
18. "Planning background". Gloucestershiregatewayservies. Archived from the original on 28 October 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
19. "Motorways to trial 60mph limits to cut pollution". BBC News. BBC. 12 September 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
20. ^ "Pinpoint". m5-junction-10-have-your-say.gloucestershire.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
21. "M5 will be extended to Plymouth if these business leaders get their wish". Cornwall Live. 27 September 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
22. "Calls to extend M5 from Exeter to Plymouth". ITV. 20 November 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
23. "Taunton £18m motorway upgrade approved". BBC News. 9 March 2018.
24. "M5 bones find confirmed as female". BBC News. 7 October 2009. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
25. "Man held over Melanie Hall M5 murder inquiry". BBC News. 1 July 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
26. "Seven confirmed dead in M5 accident in Somerset". BBC News. 5 November 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
27. O'Carroll, Lisa (5 November 2011). "M5 Crash: Latest Updates: Live". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
28. Bayley, Jon (7 November 2011). "Police investigate smoke as possible cause of M5 pile-up in which seven died". Western Morning News. Archived from the original on 15 January 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
29. "Traffic England Live Traffic Condition Map". Locations extracted from Traffic Camera Popup (J1 to J10). Highways Agency. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
30. J11-J18: Driver Location Signs, M5 J18-11, M4 J22-15 (map) Highway Authority 2009
31. J19-J30: Driver Location Signs, M5 J19-30 (map) – Highway Authority, 2009
32. "The Annotated Fall - M5 #1". The Annotated Fall. 17 November 2019. Retrieved 9 December 2019.

Sources

• Charlesworth, George (1984). A History of British Motorways. London: Thomas Telford. ISBN 0-7277-0159-2.

Further reading

• Jackson, Mike (2003). The M5 Sights Guide. Severnpix. ISBN 978-0954540203.

External links

Geographic data related to M5 motorway at OpenStreetMap

• Central Motorway Police Group
• CBRD Motorway Database – M5
• CBRD videos – M5
• Major roads of Great Britain – M5
• The Motorway Archive
  • Junctions 1 to 2 and other Midlands motorways
  • Junctions 3 to 8
  • Junctions 3 to 8 widening
  • Junctions 8 to 22
  • Junctions 22 to 31

Download coordinates as:

• KML
• GPX (all coordinates)
• GPX (primary coordinates)
• GPX (secondary coordinates)

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

v t e Streets and roads in Birmingham, England
City centre streets	Bennetts Hill Broad Street Colmore Row Corporation Street Edmund Street Hurst Street New Street Newhall Street Paradise Circus Paradise Street
City centre squares	Brindleyplace Centenary Square Chamberlain Square Five Ways Old Square St Pauls Square Victoria Square
Suburban streets	Orphanage Road
A roads	A34 A38 A4040 (outer ring road) A41 A4400 (inner ring road) A45 A4540 (middle ring road) A47 A435 A456 A5127
Motorways	A38(M) M5 motorway M6 motorway
Defunct	The Crescent
Category

v t e Transport in Worcestershire
Road	Motorways M5 M42 M50 A-roads A38 A44 A46 A422 A435 A441 A442 A448 A449 A456 A491 A4025 A4536 Service stations Frankley services Hopwood Park services Strensham services Other Icknield Street List of settlements on the A38
Rail	Main lines Cross-City Line Cross Country Route North Warwickshire Line Birmingham to Worcester via Bromsgrove Line Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster line Cotswold Line Closed lines Oxford–Worcester–Wolverhampton line (Dudley to Wolverhampton section) Stations Alvechurch Barnt Green Blakedown Bromsgrove Droitwich Spa Evesham Great Malvern Hagley Hartlebury Honeybourne Kidderminster Malvern Link Pershore Redditch Worcester Foregate Street Worcester Shrub Hill Wythall Closed stations Astwood Bank Aston-under-Hill Beckford Bengeworth Bredon Eckington Foley Park Halt Hinton Littleton and Badsey Malvern Wells Ripple Upton-on-Severn Wadborough Heritage stations Arley Bewdley Kidderminster Town Northwood Halt Heritage railways Severn Valley Railway Under construction Broadway Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
Buses	Routes Worcestershire bus route 144 Companies Diamond West Midlands First Midland Red Other Bus transport in Bromsgrove
Waterways	Rivers River Arrow River Avon River Severn River Stour River Teme Canals Droitwich Canal Leominster Canal Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal Worcester and Birmingham Canal Other Diglis Basin Hampton Ferry Tardebigge Engine House Tardebigge Locks
Footpaths	Long-distance footpaths Cotswold Way Monarch's Way Severn Way Worcestershire Way Wychavon Way
Cycle paths	Route 5 Route 54

• M5 motorway
• Motorways in England
• Transport in Gloucestershire
• Roads in Somerset
• Transport in Staffordshire
• Roads in the West Midlands (county)
• Roads in Worcestershire
• Transport in Exeter
• Roads in Bristol
• Roads in Devon