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M12 motorway (Northern Ireland)
Encyclopedia
The M12 is a 1½ miles (2.4 km) length of spur motorway in County Armagh
, Northern Ireland
. It was opened on 1970.
It leads off the main M1
motorway, to Portadown
, part of the conurbation
of Portadown-Craigavon
-Lurgan
, and forms most of the route between junction 11 of the M1 (Ballynacor) and the A3
Northway at Kernan Loop. The road forms part of European route E18
.
. The M1 motorway was originally intended to run between Belfast
, and the area that is now Craigavon. By the early 1960s, the M1 project had been extended further westwards to reach Dungannon
, and the M12 was planned to connect Craigavon to the M1. The junction between the M12 and M1 originally had slip roads for traffic to and from Belfast only, but a bridge was built as part of the project for completion of the junction as full access.
Construction on the new Brownlow suburb of the city began in the late 1960s but by the 1980s it was clear that, due to overestimated population predictions, the city had largely failed and construction on the remaining three suburbs never took place. The original plan to upgrade the Northway to motorway standard and give it free-flow connections to the M12 has consequently never happened.
The single-carriageway link road connecting it to the A3 was completed in 1970. West-facing connections to the M1 were added in 1990. The east and west sliproads now meet at an at-grade roundabout which was designated junction 1. The Carn junction was re-numbered junction 2 at this time.
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It was opened on 1970.
It leads off the main M1
M1 motorway (Northern Ireland)
The M1 is a motorway in Northern Ireland. It is the longest motorway in Northern Ireland and runs for from Belfast to Dungannon through County Down and County Armagh...
motorway, to Portadown
Portadown
Portadown is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about 23 miles south-west of Belfast...
, part of the conurbation
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
of Portadown-Craigavon
Craigavon
Craigavon is a settlement in north County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It was a planned settlement that was begun in 1965 and named after Northern Ireland's first Prime Minister — James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon. It was intended to be a linear city incorporating Lurgan and Portadown, but this plan...
-Lurgan
Lurgan
Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town is near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and in the north-eastern corner of the county. Part of the Craigavon Borough Council area, Lurgan is about 18 miles south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway...
, and forms most of the route between junction 11 of the M1 (Ballynacor) and the A3
A3 road (Northern Ireland)
The A3 is a major road in Northern Ireland. It travels through County Antrim, County Down, County Armagh and parts of southern County Fermanagh....
Northway at Kernan Loop. The road forms part of European route E18
European route E18
European route E18 runs from Craigavon in the United Kingdom to Saint Petersburg in Russia, passing through Norway, Sweden, and Finland. It is about 1,890 km in length.-United Kingdom:...
.
History
The M12 is a legacy from the 1960s plan to develop the Craigavon new townNew town
A new town is a specific type of a planned community, or planned city, that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are uncommon in new...
. The M1 motorway was originally intended to run between Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, and the area that is now Craigavon. By the early 1960s, the M1 project had been extended further westwards to reach Dungannon
Dungannon
Dungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time...
, and the M12 was planned to connect Craigavon to the M1. The junction between the M12 and M1 originally had slip roads for traffic to and from Belfast only, but a bridge was built as part of the project for completion of the junction as full access.
Construction on the new Brownlow suburb of the city began in the late 1960s but by the 1980s it was clear that, due to overestimated population predictions, the city had largely failed and construction on the remaining three suburbs never took place. The original plan to upgrade the Northway to motorway standard and give it free-flow connections to the M12 has consequently never happened.
The single-carriageway link road connecting it to the A3 was completed in 1970. West-facing connections to the M1 were added in 1990. The east and west sliproads now meet at an at-grade roundabout which was designated junction 1. The Carn junction was re-numbered junction 2 at this time.
Junctions
| M12 Motorway | ||
| Northeastbound exits | Junction | Southwestbound exits |
| End of motorway Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... , Lisburn Lisburn DemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn... , Dungannon Dungannon Dungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time... , Omagh Omagh Omagh is the county town of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is situated where the rivers Drumragh and Camowen meet to form the Strule. The town, which is the largest in the county, had a population of 19,910 at the 2001 Census. Omagh also contains the headquarters of Omagh District Council and... Enniskillen Enniskillen Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census... , Sligo Sligo Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht... , Cookstown Cookstown Cookstown may refer to either of the following:*Cookstown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland*Cookstown, Ontario, Canada*Cookstown, New Jersey, United States... (M1 M1 motorway (Northern Ireland) The M1 is a motorway in Northern Ireland. It is the longest motorway in Northern Ireland and runs for from Belfast to Dungannon through County Down and County Armagh... ) Ballymena Ballymena Ballymena is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census.... , Coleraine Coleraine Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections... (A26 A26 road (Northern Ireland) The A26 is a road in Northern Ireland. It travels in a North-South direction from Coleraine, County Londonderry to Banbridge, County Down.The road is a primary route between Coleraine and its junction with the M1, and a secondary route between Lurgan and Banbridge... ) |
 |
Start of motorway |
| Start of motorway |  |
End of motorway Portadown Portadown Portadown is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about 23 miles south-west of Belfast... , Lurgan Lurgan Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town is near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and in the north-eastern corner of the county. Part of the Craigavon Borough Council area, Lurgan is about 18 miles south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway... Armagh Armagh Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh... , Monaghan Monaghan Monaghan is the county town of County Monaghan in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 7,811 . The town is located on the main road, the N2 road, from Dublin north to both Derry and Letterkenny.-Toponym:... (A3 A3 road (Northern Ireland) The A3 is a major road in Northern Ireland. It travels through County Antrim, County Down, County Armagh and parts of southern County Fermanagh.... ) Derrytrasna Derrytrasna Derrytrasna is a small village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The village is on a plateau surrounded mainly by bogland in the north of the county. It lies between Lough Neagh, Lough Gullion and the River Bann. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 249 people... (B2) |
Trivia
- The M12 appears to violate motorway regulations by having a pedestrian footpath at the at-grade roundabout at junction 1.
- Motorway restrictions begin part way through junction 2, leaving restricted traffic no escape route.