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M50 motorway (Great Britain)
Encyclopedia
The M50 is a motorway in Gloucestershire
, Worcestershire
and Herefordshire
, England
. It is 21 miles (33.8 km) long and is sometimes referred to as the Ross Spur. It is the only motorway-class road in Herefordshire.
just north of Tewkesbury
and the A40 road
and A449 road
at Ross-on-Wye
. After leaving the M5 at junction 8, it passes north of Tewkesbury and then south of Ledbury
. Between Junctions 1 and 2, it crosses the River Severn
on the Queenhill
Bridge, which also covers the associated flood plain. After passing north of Newent
, the motorway reaches its terminus at Junction 4.
The route was part of a strategic route from the Midlands
to South Wales
(also including the A449
and A40
and so was constructed as an early priority. http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m50/) It is one of the few British motorways that has not been widened, instead retaining its original layout of only two lanes in each direction.
are used to provide distance and carriageway identifier information.
operated by RoadChef
, just north of the M50's northeastern terminus junction with Junction 8 of the M5. Also, at the other end of the M50 on the A449 road
near Junction 4 south western terminus of the M50, there was a service area operated by Welcome Break
called Ross Spur services, but it recently closed, and only the southwest bound BP
garage remains open http://www.motorwayservices.info/area.php?area=113
when the M5 was widened in the 1990s. Junction 1, where the M50 meets with the A38, is a partial cloverleaf. Junctions 2 and 3 have 90° turns from the deceleration lane into the slip roads, which are hazardous for high-speed driving.
.
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
and Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is 21 miles (33.8 km) long and is sometimes referred to as the Ross Spur. It is the only motorway-class road in Herefordshire.
Route
The M50 runs in a southwesterly/northeasterly direction between the M5 motorwayM5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with 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...
just north of Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury is a town in Gloucestershire, England. It stands at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon, and also minor tributaries the Swilgate and Carrant Brook...
and the A40 road
A40 road
The A40 is a major trunk road connecting London to Fishguard, Wales and officially called The London to Fishguard Trunk Road in all legal documents and Acts...
and A449 road
A449 road
The A449 is a major road in the United Kingdom. It runs north from junction 24 of the M4 motorway at Newport in South Wales to Stafford in Staffordshire....
at Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye is a small market town with a population of 10,089 in southeastern Herefordshire, England, located on the River Wye, and on the northern edge of the Forest of Dean.-History:...
. After leaving the M5 at junction 8, it passes north of Tewkesbury and then south of Ledbury
Ledbury
Ledbury is a town in Herefordshire, England, lying east of Hereford, and south of the Malvern Hills.Today, Ledbury is a thriving market town in rural England. The town has a large number of timber framed buildings, in particular along Church Lane and High Street. One of Ledbury's most outstanding...
. Between Junctions 1 and 2, it crosses the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
on the Queenhill
Queenhill
Queenhill is a village and a civil parish in the Malvern Hills District in the county of Worcestershire, England.- Parish church :The church, which is dedicated to St Nicholas, serves both Queenhill and Holdfast....
Bridge, which also covers the associated flood plain. After passing north of Newent
Newent
Newent is a small market town about 8 miles north west of Gloucester City, on the northern edge of the Forest of Dean, and lying within the Forest of Dean Local Authority District. Its population at the 2001 census was 5,073...
, the motorway reaches its terminus at Junction 4.
History
The M50 was built by Tarmac Construction between 1958 and 1962:- Junctions 1 to 4 opened in 1960.
- M5 to Junction 1 opened in 1962.
The route was part of a strategic route from the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
to South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
(also including the A449
A449 road
The A449 is a major road in the United Kingdom. It runs north from junction 24 of the M4 motorway at Newport in South Wales to Stafford in Staffordshire....
and A40
A40 road
The A40 is a major trunk road connecting London to Fishguard, Wales and officially called The London to Fishguard Trunk Road in all legal documents and Acts...
and so was constructed as an early priority. http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m50/) It is one of the few British motorways that has not been widened, instead retaining its original layout of only two lanes in each direction.
Junctions
Data from driver location signsDriver location signs
Driver location signs are English highway route markers, first introduced in 2003, that complement distance marker posts. Both types of marker post display the distances from a nominal start point in kilometres...
are used to provide distance and carriageway identifier information.
| M50 Motorway | |||
| km | Eastbound exits | Junction | Westbound exits |
| 0.0 | The MIDLANDS, Worcester Worcester The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the... , Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... , The SOUTH WEST, Tewkesbury Tewkesbury Tewkesbury is a town in Gloucestershire, England. It stands at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon, and also minor tributaries the Swilgate and Carrant Brook... , Bristol Bristol Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007... , M5 M5 motorway The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with 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... |
M5, J8 52.0477°N 2.1355°W North Eastern end of the M50 |
Start of Motorway |
| 2.8 | Tewkesbury Tewkesbury Tewkesbury is a town in Gloucestershire, England. It stands at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon, and also minor tributaries the Swilgate and Carrant Brook... A38 A38 road The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,... |
J1 | Malvern Malvern, Worcestershire Malvern is a town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, governed by Malvern Town Council. As of the 2001 census it has a population of 28,749, and includes the historical settlement and commercial centre of Great Malvern on the steep eastern flank of the Malvern Hills, and the former... A38 |
| 17.5 | Gloucester Gloucester Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham.... A417 A417 road -Streatley - Gloucester :It runs from Streatley at its junction with the A329 to Wantage, over the picturesque Berkshire Downs. In Wantage, it negotiates the market place -Streatley - Gloucester (M5):It runs from Streatley at its junction with the A329 (between Reading and Wallingford) to Wantage,... |
J2 | Hereford Hereford Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester... , Ledbury Ledbury Ledbury is a town in Herefordshire, England, lying east of Hereford, and south of the Malvern Hills.Today, Ledbury is a thriving market town in rural England. The town has a large number of timber framed buildings, in particular along Church Lane and High Street. One of Ledbury's most outstanding... A417 |
| 28.9 | Newent Newent Newent is a small market town about 8 miles north west of Gloucester City, on the northern edge of the Forest of Dean, and lying within the Forest of Dean Local Authority District. Its population at the 2001 census was 5,073... B4421 |
J3 | Newent B4421 |
| 34.7 | Start of motorway | J4 51.9302°N 2.5623°W South Western end of the M50 |
SOUTH WALES South Wales South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of... , Monmouth Monmouth Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both.... , Ledbury Ledbury Ledbury is a town in Herefordshire, England, lying east of Hereford, and south of the Malvern Hills.Today, Ledbury is a thriving market town in rural England. The town has a large number of timber framed buildings, in particular along Church Lane and High Street. One of Ledbury's most outstanding... , Ross-on-Wye Ross-on-Wye Ross-on-Wye is a small market town with a population of 10,089 in southeastern Herefordshire, England, located on the River Wye, and on the northern edge of the Forest of Dean.-History:... A449 A449 road The A449 is a major road in the United Kingdom. It runs north from junction 24 of the M4 motorway at Newport in South Wales to Stafford in Staffordshire.... |
Services
Although not served directly by motorway service areas, the M50 is served by a service area at Strensham servicesStrensham services
Strensham services is a motorway service station on the M5 in Worcestershire, England. In August 2011, it was rated as 4 stars and 3 stars by quality assessors at Visit England....
operated by RoadChef
RoadChef
Roadchef is a company which operates twenty motorway service areas in the UK. Behind Moto and Welcome Break, it is the third largest motorway service area operator .-History:...
, just north of the M50's northeastern terminus junction with Junction 8 of the M5. Also, at the other end of the M50 on the A449 road
A449 road
The A449 is a major road in the United Kingdom. It runs north from junction 24 of the M4 motorway at Newport in South Wales to Stafford in Staffordshire....
near Junction 4 south western terminus of the M50, there was a service area operated by Welcome Break
Welcome Break
Welcome Break is a company which operates thirty-five motorway service stations in the UK. It is the second largest motorway service area operator behind Moto.-History:...
called Ross Spur services, but it recently closed, and only the southwest bound BP
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
garage remains open http://www.motorwayservices.info/area.php?area=113
Descriptions
The junction with the M5 was originally a free-flowing trumpet-style junction, but was converted to a roundaboutRoundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
when the M5 was widened in the 1990s. Junction 1, where the M50 meets with the A38, is a partial cloverleaf. Junctions 2 and 3 have 90° turns from the deceleration lane into the slip roads, which are hazardous for high-speed driving.
2007 floods
During the initial deluge, the junctions with the A38 and M5 were closed due to flash flooding. In the aftermath, the bridge across the River Severn was the only one still open between the M4/M48 Severn bridges and ShrewsburyShrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
.