|
|
The
start of the M65 in Colne is signposted rather poorly, with this large
sign making an inefficient use of the space available as well as
omitting Blackburn and the road number. The sign this replaced had the
correct details.
|
 |
However,
the first route confirmation sign features Blackburn! Unfortunately the
sign is somewhat unhelpfully placed directly behind a lamppost.
|
|
|
Junctions
on the M65 are closely spaced together. The A682 here is actually the
former A56, renumbered when the Accrington Easterly Bypass was finished
in 1985.
|
|
|
Junction
13 is quite busy, as the A682 is still a major link for traffic headed
to the Yorkshire Dales. However, the lack of large destinations has
seen the route signed for Kendal if travelling eastbound - logically it
is quicker to get to Kendal via the M6, and also does not involve going
the 'long way around' via Long Preston and the A65.
|
|
|
The
M65 has a bit of a relationship with the A682 in the Burnley region.
Junctions 13, 12, and 11 all serve it either directly or indirectly.
|
|
|
This sign has been patched - presumably the original sign read 'A56'.
|
|
|
This patch is very clumsy - it has covered up the 'fork' arrow!
|
|
|
Junction
11 is restricted to westbound exit and eastbound entry only, due
to the proximity of Junction 10, which is less than one third of a mile
away.
|
|
|
Another congested interchange at peak times, this one serves central Burnley.
|
|
|
This
route confirmation sign has the M6 mentioned. However, it is likely
that the 17 miles quoted is via the A6119 and A677 corridor rather than
via the M65 extension.
|
|
|
Junction
9 brings a third lane as it enters (there is no westbound exit), but
within two thirds of a mile Junction 8 appears, causing some
conflicting weaving movements.
|
|
|
Junction
8 is one of the major interchanges on the M65 - the A56 departs for
Manchester here along a high quality dual carriageway. The A6068 also
begins here, follow it to end up back at Junction 13!
|
|
|
The
dual three lane section of the M65 is very well engineered and gives
the impression of being destined for greater aspirations than a
commuter motorway. This section rarely, if ever, gets congested.
|
|
|
Junction 7 serves Accrington via a high standard link - Dunkenhalgh Way.
|
|
|
Junction
6 is one of the busiest junctions in East Lancashire and in 2008 it was
signalised and widened. The M65 loses its third lane here and takes a
sharp turn onto the Blackburn Southern Bypass. Original plans would've
continued the motorway through central Blackburn.
|
|
|
The layout of Junction 6 is quite unusual, it looks like a semi-directional T junction without the 'top' of the T in place.
|
|
|
One of three rock cuttings on the motorway, this one features the elegant Stanhill Road Bridge.
|
|
|
The
junction with Haslingden Road was controversial - the old B6232 was
renumbered as A6177 when the motorway opened, resulting in both a
duplicated road number and a traffic overload. The road has since been
renumbered to the A6077 and the Grane Road section was downgraded back
to B6232 along with the imposition a 7.5t weight restriction.
|
|
|
This
sign advertising services ahead was damaged in a storm in December
2007. The controversy regarding the naming of the service area at J4 as
"Blackburn" when they are in Darwen resulted in a parliamentary
question being raised before the dispute was resolved in 2005. The site
is now known as "Blackburn with Darwen Services".
|
|
|
Between
Junctions 5 and 3, the M65 becomes a rollercoaster ride of steep
descents and ascents over the moorland area to the south of Blackburn.
The views are wonderful on a sunny day. |
|
|
On
the horizon the Jubilee Tower is visible. There was a proposal to light
this up at night (which would make an excellent gateway to the region),
but light pollution, electricity generation, and vandalism concerns
scuppered the plan. |
|
|
Junction
4 is another very busy junction, in the middle of an urban area.
Squatters tried to prevent the roads completion by taking residence in
condemned terraces on the A666 in 1994. By 1995 they had been evicted
and the terraces demolished. |
|
|
A sign for Blackburn with Darwen Services. The old Blackburn Services sign was spray painted out by vandals numerous times. |
|
|
Halfway
across the J4 flyover, the westbound carriageway gains a lane to climb
the upcoming gradient. Eastbound has two three lane sections for steep
gradients. |
|
|
The lane ends at the Tockholes Road flyover in the distance. |
|
|
Looking
west towards the controversial Stanworth Valley Viaducts which saw
tree-squatting protests and even an attempt to blockade the road on its
official opening day. |
|
|
Another
rock cutting just east of Junction 3. This marked the change in
contract sections, hence why there is different streetlighting used on
the J1A-3 section. |
|
|
The
M65 has formed a close relationship with those high tension electricity
cables. It first meets them at Junction 4, parts ways with them, and
then follows them between Junctions 3 and 2. Several of the pylons had
to be replaced in different locations to accomodate the motorway. This
was done a year before the road construction started. |
|
|
Approaching Junction 2, which has the luxury of gantry signs. |
|
|
Junction
2 has now got part time signals on part of the roundabout, a shining
example of the poor capacity of three level roundabouts between
motorways. |
|
|
The
space available for the third lane should it be required here is
obvious. All of the structures (except gantries) on the M65 between J1A
and J6 are wide enough to accomodate an extra lane. This was a rare
example of 1990s futureproofing of a road scheme. |
|
|
This section of the M65 has three lanes. The majority of traffic usually departs onto the M6 here. |
|
|
The
final bridges do not have room for an extra lane, but there is a flare
in the carriageways approaching J1A which hints there may have been
consideration for the long since scrapped Preston Southern Bypass to
plug in to this location should it ever be revived as a scheme. |
|
|
Approaching
J1A there is a short 50 limit for a very sharp bend around a roundabout
that has been modified to have a weighbridge on it. |
|
|
The
end of the motorway is here, the Bamber Bridge bypass was dualled to
create a distributor road for traffic leaving the motorway. |
