Is it me or do Motorway Numbers not correlate to anything, are they just random or does it have meaning?

Question

Is it me or do Motorway Numbers not correlate to anything, are they just random or does it have meaning?

Answer 1

Just random

Answer 2

When motorways were first introduced they had an M inserted infront of the number to show its a motor way. The M4 runs from London to South Wales. If you look at the map the A4 runs more or less in line with the M4. Same with the M1 and A1. As the motorway net work developed the M roads were given numbers which did nor follow the A road. For example the M25.

Answer 3

The random orientation of Britain's motorway system is one of the world's great unsolved mysteries, second only to the fate of the crew of the  Marie Celeste.

Answer 4

if your talking about the m numbers such as m4 , m6 m1 etc it correlates with the major A road that the motorway either replaces or runs along side.

Did you know that the first motorway in Britain was the M6 - following the route of the old A6

Answer 5

Not random. They correspond with the old A roads from London and their destinations so the old A6 went to Manchester/Preston and the M6 goes "oop North" and goes past Manchester etc. Motorways in the M/c area all start with 6 so M60/61/62 etc.

Answer 6

Correction - the first motorway was not the M6, it was the preston Bypass.  The M6 came years later

Answer 7

you mean like all the number you see at the side of the moterway?

i think it's more for breakdowns and maintenece of the moterway, has no meaning to the users.

Answer 8

In England and Wales, the numbers of major motorways were a numbering system of their own not conterminous with that of the A-road network, though based on the same principle of zones. Running clockwise from the M1 the zones were defined for Zones 1 to 4 based on the proposed M2, M3 and M4 motorways. The M5 and M6 numbers were reserved for the other two planned long distance motorways. The Preston Bypass, the UK's first motorway, should have been numbered A6(M) under the scheme decided upon, but it was decided to keep the number M6 as had already been applied. Certain portions or bypasses of A-roads may be designated as motorways, the name of these portions being given the suffix "(M)". An example is the A1(M).

In Scotland, where the Scottish Office rather than the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation had the decision, there is no zonal pattern, but rather the A-road rule is strictly enforced. It was decided to reserve the numbers 7, 8 & 9 for Scotland. The M8 follows the route of the A8, and the M85 became part of the M90 when the A90 was re-routed along the path of the A85.

In Northern Ireland a separate numbering system was used. There is no known explanation for it.

Answer 9

The numbering scheme was first thought about in 1914, as a method of simply identifying roads for internal Government use, which included such things as standardizing rates of grant for road improvements according to the road's importance to traffic. Classification allowed grant to be fixed at rates of 75% for Class I (or A roads) and 50% for Class II (or B roads).

Some work started on the survey, and then came to a crashing halt al......................................... I give up. Its all on the link below!!

Answer 10

If you break down on the motorway, if you quote the number on the motorway number sign thing, the AA or whoever can pinpoint to where exactly you are.