A601(M) motorway

The A601(M) was once a short motorway spur in Carnforth, Lancashire. It linked the M6 at Junction 35 to local roads and measured just 2.1 km. Built in 1960 as the northern end of the M6, it became a spur in 1970 when the main motorway extended north. A single-carriageway extension south opened in 1987 to connect with the B6254. The road was renumbered A601(M) in 1987, though its designation was unusual since the A601 already existed far away in Derby. Plans to extend it as an Arnside link road were abandoned for environmental reasons. The spur served as a bypass for traffic heading to Over Kellet Quarries and Kirkby Lonsdale. Its terminal roundabout was marked as Junction 35A. In 2020, the southern link was downgraded to the B6601 to allow a car dealership to be built. By early 2023, the remaining motorway section was also downgraded and renumbered as part of the A6070. The Secretary of State approved the revocation scheme, and the road lost its motorway status entirely. Visitors today find a quiet dual carriageway where the motorway once stood. The surroundings include Carnforth’s industrial and residential areas, with the M6 still visible nearby. The route now carries a 50 mph speed limit and lacks a hard shoulder. Future works will further reduce its motorway features. The road remains open but functions as a standard A-road rather than a motorway. Its history is still visible in the layout and junctions that once marked its brief existence.