Great Britain sections

1. On reflector poles (on all motorways and many expressways in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and most motorways in Scotland
2. On large blue or green signs, called Driver location signs on all motorways and many expressways in England
3. On emergency telephones in orange. These values are imprecise and simply rounded to the nearest hm value.

This picture shows types 1 and 2 together:

Carriageways are identified by letters:

The reflector poles are usually on the side of the road but can also be in the middle. The driver location signs are always on the side and can be placed perpendicular to the road. They are not always very accurate and can be up to 30 m off. There are many sections where km values are stretched or compressed, notably on the M25 north. This is a histogram of the ratio between designated kilometerage and real distance:

More precisely, this is the multiplication factor required to go from distance as computed using OpenStreetMap to the kilometerage values.

NB 1 The distance on OSM is typically about 0.2 % too short due to the limited number of shape points in the data. This accounts for the more frequent occurrence of values between 1.00 and 1.01 compared to the 0.99 to 1.00 bucket.

NB 2 This histogram was obtained by weighing the correction factors by the distance between known points, for 985 sections. Since this evens out errors to some extent, the real situation for every km or hm separately would be slightly worse.

On M roads, the correction factors are closer to 1 than for A roads:

In all these charts, values under 0.8 and over 1.2 were omitted for display purposes. This excludes less than 0.05 % of sections weighted by distance.

km values generally run from west to east (e.g. A38, A55) and south to north (e.g. M6, A23), with many exceptions, e.g. M5 and M54, and roads to/from London tend to start in London.

Metadata

Coverage: all motorways in England, Scotland and Wales, and selected expressways in England (and very few in Scotland and Wales). Total road length ca 5100 km.

If carriageways as more than 50 m apart, both carriageways are covered, otherwise only the positive direction (typically carriageway A).

Accuracy: at least 90 % within 50 m, at least 80 % within 25 m

Unit km, resolution 100 m

Locations from Google Streetview, tracks from openrouteservice.

Last updated 8-9-2018

Colours:

Sections:

M1 London - Aberford

Sections:

1 London - Leeds

Increasing from 11.0 at London to 302.8 at Leeds

2 Leeds - Aberford

Increasing from 302.9 at Leeds to 319.7 at Aberford

M2 Chatham - Faversham

Increasing from 43.1 at Chatham to 84.7 at Faversham

M3 London - Eastleigh

Increasing from 24.1 at London to 117.4 at Eastleigh

M4 London - Heathrow Airport

Sections:

1 London - Magor

Increasing from 12.1 at London to 207.1 at Magor

2 Magor - Fforest

Increasing from 209.8 at Magor to 320.5 at Fforest

3 Spur M4 - Heathrow Airport

Increasing from 0.2 at M4 to 1.6 at Heathrow Airport

M5 Birmingham - Exeter

Increasing from 0.0 at Birmingham to 262.0 at Exeter

km 4 on the northbound carriageway

M6 Catthorpe - Gretna

Increasing from 132 at Catthorpe to 504.8 at Gretna

Near Wolverhampton

M6Toll Coleshill - Cannock

Increasing from 9.8 at Coleshill to 51.0 at Cannock

M8 Edinburgh - Langbank

Sections:

1 Edinburgh - Airdrie

Increasing from 8.1 at Edinburgh to 47.5 at Airdrie

2 Airdrie - Langbank

Increasing from 49.7 at Airdrie to 99.3 at Langbank

M9 Newbridge

Sections:

1 Newbridge - Stirling

Increasing from 12.2 at Newbridge to 53.5 at Stirling

2 Stirling bypass

Increasing from 53.6 at Stirling bypass to 63.4

M11 London - Cambridge

Sections:

1 London - Cambridge

Increasing from 10.9 at London to 91.9 at Cambridge

2 Spur M11 - Hinxton

Increasing from 68.4 at M11 to 71.3 at the A11 in Hinxton

M18 Sheffield - Rawcliffe

Increasing from 252.2 at Sheffield to 292.9 at Rawcliffe

M20 London - Folkestone

Increasing from 27.8 at London to 109.9 at Folkestone

M23 London - Crawley

Increasing from 28.2 at London to 53.8 at Crawley

M25 Dartford

Sections:

1 Dartford - Sevenoaks

Increasing from 8.0 at Dartford to 25.0 at Sevenoaks

2 Sevenoaks - Grays

Increasing from 25.3 at Sevenoaks to 186.3 at Grays

M25SPUR Orpington - M25

Increasing from 0.0 at Orpington to 1.2 at M25

M26 Sevenoaks - Maidstone

Increasing from 0.1 at M25 junction to 16.6 at Maidstone

The M26 has carriageways K and L instead of A and B. Thus from the carriageway identifier point of view, it is really a ramp from the M20 to the M25.

M27 Cadnam - Portsmouth

Increasing from 1.3 at Cadnam to 46.7 at Portsmouth

M32 Bristol - M4

Increasing from 0.9 at Bristol to 8.0 at M4

M40 London - Birmingham

Sections:

1 London - Birmingham

Increasing from 29.3 at London to 170.9 at Birmingham

2 Spur M40 - Wheatley

Increasing from 77.4 at M40 to 79.8 at Wheatley

M42 Birmingham - Appleby

Sections:

1 Birmingham southern ring road

Increasing from 0 at M5 to 18.2 at M40

2 Birmingham eastern ring road

Increasing from 18.8 at M40 to 38.0 at M6

3 Birmingham - Appleby

Increasing from 42.1 at M6 to 64.5 at Appleby

M45 M1 - Rugby

Increasing from 0.0 at M1 to 12.4 at Rugby

M48 Bristol - Magor

Increasing from 189.4 at Bristol to 209.4 at Magor

M49 Severn Beach - Avonmouth

Increasing from 0.0 at Severn Beach to 10.3 at Avonmouth

M50 Strensham - Ross-on-Wye

Increasing from 0.5 at the M5 near Strensham to 34.6 at Ross-on-Wye

M53 Birkenhead - Chester

Sections:

1 Birkenhead - Chester

Increasing from 9.0 at Birkenhead to 40.2 at Chester

2 Spur Upton - M53

Increasing from 0.9 at Upton to 2.2 at M53

The section south of km 25 used to be the M531 until around 1985. The M53 was supposed to continue west of Chester.

M54 Wolverhampton - Wellington

Increasing from 0 at Wolverhampton to 35.4 at Wellington

At km 0.4 there is only a reflector pole

Driver location sign 100 m further down the road

M55 Blackpool - Preston

Increasing from 5.9 at Blackpool to 25.4 at Preston

The exit numbering runs in the opposite direction.

M56 Cheadle - Chester

Sections:

1 Cheadle - Sharston

Increasing from 7.1 at Cheadle to 10.0 at Sharston where the road has a TOTSO with the A5103.

2 Sharston - Chester

Increasing from 10.2 at Sharston to 61.5 at Chester

M57 Tarbock - Aintree

Increasing from 3.5 at Tarbock to 19.6 at Aintree

M58 Aintree - Wigan

Increasing from 10.3 at Aintree to 28.7 at Wigan

M60 Manchester ring road

Sections:

1 Stockport - Whitefield

Increasing from 0.0 at Stockport to 31.4 at Whitefield

2 Whitefield - Stockport

Increasing from 32.3 at Whitefield to 56.8 ( = 0) at Stockport

The concurrent part with the M62 used to be numbered M62, the southern ring was the M63 and the eastern ring the M66. When the ring was completed in 2000, the whole ring was renumbered to M60.

M61 Manchester - Preston

Increasing from 1.9 at Manchester to 36.0 at Preston

M62 Liverpool - North Cave

Sections:

1 Liverpool - Manchester

Increasing from 6.0 at Liverpool to 43.5 at Whitefield

2 Manchester - North Cave

Increasing from 55.9 at Whitefield to 177.6 at North Cave

The Manchester northern ring road used to be the M62, but was renumbered to M60 when the ring was completed.

M65 Preston - Colne

Increasing from 0.5 at Preston to 41.6 at Colne

M66 Edenfield - Whitefield

Increasing from 0.0 at Edenfield to 14.1 at Whitefield

M67 Manchester - Hyde

Increasing from 1.1 at Manchester to 8.6 at Hyde

M69 Coventry - Leicester

Increasing from 99.3 at Coventry to 125.4 at Leicester

M73 Uddingston - Cumbernauld

Increasing from 0.3 at Uddingston to 11.4 at Cumbernauld

M74 Glasgow - Gretna

Sections:

1 Glasgow - Johnstonebridge

Increasing from 0.0 at Glasgow to 99.3 at Johnstonebridge

2 Johnstonebridge - Gretna

Decreasing from 542.1 at Johnstonebridge to 504.9 at Gretna

This section is a continuation of the M6.

M77 Glasgow - Kilmarnock

Increasing from 1.3 at the M8 in Glasgow to 29.0 at Kilmarnock

M80 Glasgow - Stirling

Increasing from 2.5 at the M8 in Glasgow to 36.9 at Stirling

M90 Kirkliston - Perth

Sections:

1 Kirkliston - Dunfermline

Decreasing from 12.3 at Kirkliston to 0 at Dunfermline

2 Dunfermline - Perth

Increasing from 0 at Dunfermline to 46.2 at Perth

M180 Thorne - Humberside Airport

Increasing from 0.0 at Thorne to 41.0 at Humberside Airport

M181 M180 - Scunthorpe

Increasing from 8.3 at M180 to 12.4 at Scunthorpe

M271 Romsey - Southampton

Increasing from 9.6 at Romsey to 13.2 at Southampton

M275 Cosham - Portsmouth

Increasing from 299.2 at Cosham to 302.8 at Portsmouth

M602 Eccles - Manchester

Increasing from 0.1 at Eccles to 6.8 at Manchester

M606 Cleckheaton - Bradford

Increasing from 0.4 at Cleckheaton to 4.6 at Bradford

M621 Morley - Leeds

Increasing from 0.2 at Morley to 13.6 at Leeds

M876 Cumbernauld - Kincardine

Sections:

1 Cumbernauld - Falkirk

Increasing from 26.9 at Cumbernauld to 35.4 at the M9 near Falkirk

2 Falkirk - Kincardine

Increasing from 37.3 at the M9 near Falkirk to 39.7 at Kincardine

A 2 km section is concurrent with the M9, which is taken into account in the kilometerage, but the M9 has different values.

M898 M8 - Erskine

Increasing from 0.0 at the M8 to 1.6 at Erskine

A1(M) London - Gateshead

Sections:

1 London - Baldock

Increasing from 22.5 at London to 62.0 at Baldock

2 Huntingdon - Peterborough

Increasing from 5.5 at Huntingdon to 26.0 at Peterborough

3 Blyth - Doncaster

Increasing from 0.0 at Blyth to 24.5 at Doncaster

4 Knottingley - Aberford

Increasing from 36.5 at Knottingley to 54.6 at Aberford

5 Aberford - Ripon

Increasing from 54.9 at Aberford to 95.5 at Ripon

6 Ripon - Scotch Corner

Increasing from 100.0 at Ripon to 138.9 at Scotch Corner

7 Scotch Corner - Gateshead

Increasing from 0.0 at Scotch Corner to 54.4 at Gateshead

A3(M) Waterlooville - Havant

Decreasing from 9.3 at Waterlooville to 0.0 at Havant

The A3(M) id the only road that has carriageway A with decreasing values. Exit numbering does increase along carriageway A.

A38(M) Birmingham - Erdington

Increasing from 380.4 at Birmingham to 383.9 at Erdington

A48(M) M4 - Cardiff

Increasing from 232.2 at the M4 to 235.8 at Cardiff

A66(M) Blackwell Spur

Increasing from 0.0 at the A1(M) to 3.5 at Blackwell

A194(M) Birtley - South Shields

Increasing from 53.5 at Birtley to 59.4 at South Shields

km values are derived from the A1(M).

A308(M) M4 - Maidenhead

Increasing from 45.1 at the M4 to 46.0 at the A308 in Maidenhead

A329(M) Reading - Bracknell

Increasing from 6.2 at Reading to 14.1 at Bracknell

A404(M) Maidenhead western bypass

Increasing from 45.2 at the M4 to 49.0 at the A404 west of Maidenhead

Continues as A404 to High Wycombe

A601(M) Carnforth - M6

Increasing from 0.0 at Carnforth to 1.4 at the M6

A627(M) Oldham - Rochdale

Increasing from 0.1 at Oldham to 5.8 at Rochdale

A1 Baldock - Knottingley

Sections:

1 Baldock - Huntingdon

Increasing from 62.3 at Baldock to 105.3 at Huntingdon

2 Peterborough - Blyth

Increasing from 26.1 at Peterborough to 144.5 at Blyth

3 Doncaster - Knottingley

Increasing from 285.2 at Doncaster to 297.5 at Knottingley

A2 London - Gravesend

Increasing from 12.9 at London to 43.3 at Chatham

A3 London - Haslemere

Increasing from 0.0 at London to 48.6 at Haslemere

A5 Dunstable - Shrewsbury

Sections:

1 Dunstable - Old Stratford

Increasing from 69.0 at Dunstable to 84.3 at Old Stratford

2 Wellington - Shrewsbury

Increasing from 35.6 at Wellington to 46.1 at Shrewsbury

A10 London M25 - Ware

Increasing from 0.0 at the M25 to 24.7 at Ware

A11 Hinxton - Newmarket

Increasing from 71.5 at Hinxton to 90.3 at Newmarket

km values seem derived from the M11 spur but deviate by about 50 m.

A12 London - Ipswich

Increasing from 99.9 at London to 184.2 at Ipswich

A13 London - Basildon

Increasing from 94.0 at London to 112.9 at Basildon

A14 Catthorpe - Felixstowe

Sections:

1 Catthorpe - Huntingdon

Increasing from 0.0 at Catthorpe to 72.7 at Huntingdon

2 Huntingdon - Cambridge

Increasing from 72.7 at Huntingdon to 94.6 at Cambridge

3 Cambridge - Felixstowe

Increasing from 95.8 at Cambridge to 207.8 at Felixstowe

A15 Humberside Airport - Kingston upon Hull

Increasing from 0 at the M180 near Humberside Airport to 16.3 at Kingston upon Hull

A23 Brighton - Crawley

Increasing from 0.0 at Brighton to 25.9 at Crawley

A27 Cosham - Chichester

Increasing from 46.7 at Cosham to 67.3 at Chichester

A30 Penzance - Honiton

Sections:

1 Penzance - Exeter

Increasing from 29.3 at Penzance to 196.4 at Exeter

2 Exeter - Honiton

Decreasing from 255.0 at Exeter to 232.0 at Honiton

A34 Winchester - Bicester

Sections:

1 Winchester - Newbury

Increasing from 0.0 at Winchester to 45.5 at Newbury

2 Newbury - Bicester

Increasing from 43.1 at Newbury to 98.3 at Bicester

The discontinuity at Newbury shows that the kilometerage was assigned before the opening of the Newbury bypass in 1998.

A36 Salisbury - Whaddon

Increasing from 67 southeast of Salisbury to 75 at Whaddon

A38 Bodmin - Mansfield

Sections:

1 Bodmin - Exeter

Increasing from 2 at Bodmin to 111.8 at Exeter

2 Lichfield - Mansfield

Increasing from 408.9 at Lichfield to 471.8 at the M1 near Mansfield

A40 Wheatley - Oxford

Increasing from 79.9 at the M40 spur near Wheatley to 86.8 at Oxford

km values are derived from the M40 spur.

A41 London - Aylesbury

Increasing from 30.5 at London to 58.4 at Aylesbury

A42 Appleby - Nottingham

Increasing from 64.7 at Appleby to 87.4 at Nottingham

A45 Rugby - Coventry

Increasing from 232 at Rugby to 243 at Coventry

A46 Warwick - Lincoln

Sections:

1 Warwick - Coventry

Increasing from 76 at Warwick to 92 at Coventry

2 Coventry bypass

Increasing from 92 to 99.5 at the M69

3 Leicester - Syston

Increasing from 0 at the M1 near Leicester to 12.4 at Syston

4 Newark-on-Trent - Lincoln

Increasing from 71 at the A1 in Newark-on-Trent to 85.4 at the Lincoln bypass

A50 Nottingham - Stoke-on-Trent

Increasing from 71.3 at the M1 near Nottingham to 136.9 at the A500 in Stoke-on-Trent

A55 Holyhead - Chester

Sections:

1 Holyhead - Ewloe

Increasing from 0.0 at Holyhead to 120.8 at Ewloe where the road has a TOTSO with the A494.

2 Ewloe - Chester

Increasing from 120.4 at Ewloe to 141.0 at Chester

A56 Edenfield - Hapton

Sections:

1 Edenfield - Haslingden

Increasing from 0.2 at Edenfield to 2.5 at Haslingden where the road has a TOTSO with the A682.

2 Haslingden - Hapton

Increasing from 2.7 at Haslingden to 14.5 at Hapton

A63 North Cave - Kingston upon Hull

Increasing from 177.7 at North Cave to 202.0 at Kingston upon Hull

Values are a continuation of the M62.

A64 Leeds - York

Increasing from 0 at the A1(M) near Leeds to 30.2 at York

A120 Colchester - Harwich

Increasing from 150 at Colchester to 163.8 at Horsley Cross

A127 London - Southend

Increasing from 94.5 at London to 127.0 at Southend

A180 Humberside Airport - Grimsby

Increasing from 41.0 near Humberside Airport to 62.5 at Grimsby

Values are a continuation of the M180.

A282 Grays - Guildford

Increasing from 0.8 at Grays to 7.9 at Guildford

Values continue on the M25.

A303 Basingstoke - Mere

Increasing from 84.8 at the M3 west of Basingstoke to 170.3 at Mere

Values are derived from the M3.

A404 Maidenhead - High Wycombe

Increasing from 49 at Maidenhead to 60.6 at High Wycombe

Values are derived from the A404(M).

A414 St Albans - Hemel Hempstead

Increasing from 32.3 at St Albans to 37.8 at Hemel Hempstead

This section used to be the M10 until 2008.

A417 Cirencester - Birdlip

Increasing from 23.7 at Cirencester to 42.6 at Birdlip

A419 Swindon - Cirencester

Increasing from 0 at the M4 in Swindon to 23.7 at Cirencester

A421 Milton Keynes - St Neots

Increasing from 0.0 at Milton Keynes to 28.5 at St Neots

A494 Chester - Ewloe

Increasing from 1.0 at Chester to 11.9 at the A55 in Ewloe

A500 Stoke-on-Trent eastern bypass

Increasing from 0.0 at Stoke-on-Trent to 18.6 at Nantwich

A720 Edinburgh bypass

Increasing from 0 at the A1 east of Edinburgh to 20.5 at Gogar

A1089 Grays - Tilbury

Increasing from 9 at the A13 in Grays to 13.7 at Tilbury

According to Highways England, the positive direction is carriageway B.

A5103 Manchester - Sharston

Increasing from 8.2 at Manchester to 10.1 at the M56 in Sharston

Values continue on the M56.

A5148 Shenstone - Lichfield

Increasing from 0 at the M6Toll to 2.5 at the A38 in Lichfield

Signs on A roads are always green except on the A5148.

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