M65 motorway
Route information
Length:	30.0 mi (48.3 km)
Existed:	1981 – present
History:	Constructed 1981–1997
Major junctions
West end:	Farington
	M6 motorway M61 motorway
East end:	Colne
Location
Primary destinations:	Preston, Blackburn, Darwen, Burnley
Road network
Roads in the United Kingdom Motorways • A and B road zones

Looking east along the newest section.

The M65 is a motorway in Lancashire, England. It runs from just south of Preston through the major junction of the M6 and M61 motorways, east past Darwen, Blackburn, Accrington, Burnley, Nelson and ends at Colne.

History[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2009)

The M65 was opened in the following sections:

• Junctions 1a to 6 in 1997
• Junctions 6 to 7 in 1984
• Junctions 7 to 10 in 1983
• Junctions 10 to 12 in 1981
• Junctions 12 to 13 in 1983
• Junctions 13 to 14 in 1988

The first section of the motorway was opened in 1981, connecting Burnley to Brierfield. Over the years, several extensions were made, the largest being the link from Whitebirk to the M6 and M61 motorways in 1997. This extension was the scene of a standoff between construction security workers and protesters (often known as 'eco-warriors').

Junctions 1a to 6 were opened 18 December 1997 by Jack Straw, Home Secretary and Member of Parliament for Blackburn. The opening ceremony took place on the westbound carriageway beneath junction 5 at Guide with a heavy police presence as protesters threatened to bring a halt to the proceedings.

Much of the 1997 extension was relaid shortly after it opened with a new, quieter tarmac because the amount of road noise had been so great that it prevented birds of prey (mainly owls) from foraging effectively.

Originally, the M65 was planned to go via the town centre of Blackburn, but opposition by the local council effectively killed this plan off, which was cancelled by the Thatcher government in 1980 until the 1990s. There were six planned routes, four of which avoided the town centre completely. In the end, the only route to go around the south of the town was selected.

Features[link]

Unusual spur road[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2008)

When the M65 was extended, a slip road was built at Walton Summit, southeast of Preston, from the roundabout linking junction 9 of the M61 with junction 2 of the M65 to the Walton Summit industrial estate. It is a single-carriageway road, with two lanes towards the junction (uphill) and one away (downhill). It is around 500 m long and replaced an A-road spur of the A6 that was built in the 1980s.

According to the statutory instrument that authorised its construction, the road is officially classified as a 'special link road to connect the [M65/M61 roundabout] with the all-purpose road known as Tramway Lane'.^[1] According to Lancashire County Council, it is the 'M61 Link Tramway Lane to Junction 9' and is part of the M61.^[2] In 2007, the approach signs from Walton Summit were modified to read 'M61', but the signs still mark the roundabout at the eastern end.

Management of Junctions 10-14[link]

The M65 is one of the few motorways in England that is not operated and maintained exclusively by the Highways Agency (the British Government body responsible for the motorways and main trunk roads in England).

The Highways Agency is responsible only for the 32.4 km section from Junction 1a at Farington to Junction 10 at Burnley.

The 15.9 km section from junction 10, Burnley, to the M65's eastern terminus at junction 14, Colne, is operated and maintained by Lancashire County Council.

Legislation[link]

Between junctions 7 & 8.

Each motorway in England requires that a Statutory Instrument be published, detailing the route of the road, before it can be built. The dates given on these Statutory Instruments relate to when the document was published, and not when the road was built. Provided below is an incomplete list of the Statutory Instruments relating to the route of the M65.

• Statutory Instrument 1991 No. 722: The M65 Motorway (Bamber Bridge to Whitebirk Section, Blackburn Southern Bypass) and Connecting Roads Scheme 1991. S.I. 1991/722
• Statutory Instrument 1992 No. 2651: The M65 Motorway (Bamber Bridge to Whitebirk Section, Blackburn Southern Bypass) and Connecting Roads Scheme 1991 Variation Scheme 1992. S.I. 1992/2651

Junctions[link]

Data^[3] from driver location signs are used to provide distance information.

See also[link]

• List of motorways in the United Kingdom
• Mancunian Way, another motorway with a secret number

References[link]

External links[link]

• CBRD Motorway Database - M65
• Highways Agency
• Lancashire County Council
• Pathetic Motorways - Walton Summit
• The Motorway Archive - M65

v t e Motorways in the United Kingdom Great Britain M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M6 Toll M8 M9 M11 M18 M20 M23 M25 M26 M27 M32 M40 M42 M45 M48 M49 M50 M53 M54 M55 M56 M57 M58 M60 M61 M62 M65 M66 M67 M69 M73 M74 M77 M80 M90 M180 M181 M271 M275 M602 M606 M621 M876 M898 A1(M) A3(M) A38(M) A48(M) A57(M) A58(M) A64(M) A66(M) A74(M) A167(M) A194(M) A308(M) A329(M) A404(M) A601(M) A627(M) A823(M) Northern Ireland M1 M2 M3 M5 M12 M22 A8(M) Former M10 M41 M63 A18(M) A40(M) A41(M) A102(M) A6144(M) Unbuilt New M4 M12 M13 M15 M16 M31 M64 Category Commons

Coordinates: 53°45′44″N 2°25′24″W / 53.7621°N 2.4234°W / 53.7621; -2.4234