M2 motorway

The M2 is a motorway in Northern Ireland, running through Belfast and County Antrim. It has two sections: the southern part links north Belfast to Antrim, while the northern section bypasses Ballymena. The A26 road connects these two parts, making the total length 36 kilometres. The busiest sections of any road in Northern Ireland are found on the M2. It carries most of the main route from Belfast to Belfast International Airport and part of the way to Derry. The motorway also forms part of several European routes. The M2 has a steep climb north of Belfast with a gradient of up to 1 in 15, one of the steepest in the United Kingdom. Junction 1B is the only motorway junction in the country with only exits and no entry slip-roads. The section between Junctions 1A and 2 is ten lanes wide, making it the widest motorway in the United Kingdom when opened. A motorway service area opened in 2015 between Glengormley and Templepatrick junctions. Plans for a flyover linking the M2 and A12 Westlink have been approved but remain unfinished. The route passes close to several landmarks, including Fortwilliam and Glengormley. It runs parallel to Ballymartin Water and crosses Six Mile Water before reaching Antrim. The motorway passes south of Glengormley and leaves the city near Ballyvesy. The northern section crosses the River Braid and passes east of Crebilly. The M2 ends on the A26 near Teeshan, with plans for further extensions now unlikely.