The motorway that skipped numbers 1, 2, and 3
In short: The M62 is a masterpiece of logistical compromise and engineering grit. It snakes across the Pennines, reaching England's highest motorway point while preserving an 18th-century farm in its center. But its most peculiar quirk is its numbering: it lacks junctions 1, 2, and 3 entirely.
The M62's unique numbering is a relic of original planning. It was intended to terminate deep within Liverpool's city center at a proposed 'Inner Motorway.' Because the road was meant to start in the city proper rather than its outskirts, the first official junction was designated as number 4. The planned urban route was never built due to construction difficulties, leaving the motorway to end at the Queens Drive inner ring road instead.
The route's history is defined by the 1960s push for a trans-Pennine link. In 1961, engineers Sir James Drake and Stuart Maynard Lovell were tasked with planning a 50-mile stretch. The project faced extreme geographical hurdles, including peat bogs and solid rock. To build the section between Windy Hill and Outlane, engineers moved 12 million cubic yards of material. Notably, they split the carriageways for 1.2 km to spare Stott Hall Farm, an 18th-century building that remains the only farm situated in the middle of a UK motorway.
Engineering feats along the M62 include the Scammonden Bridge, which was the world's longest single-span non-suspension bridge when built, and a 200-foot single-span bridge crossing the Pendleton Fault. While it serves as a vital commercial artery for the UK's largest metro areas, it remains one of Britain's most congested routes. It also holds a cultural footprint, often referred to as the 'M62 corridor' due to its role in connecting the heartlands of English rugby league.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: M62 motorway
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