M602 Eccles Bypass

Where is it?

Salford, Lancashire

It meets the M62 at junction 12, as well as the M60 at junction 12...

Can you show me that on a map?

Certainly!

When was it built?

1971 through Eccles, with the extension in towards Salford following in 1982.

What makes this a pathetic motorway?

It's quite short...

What else?

Not a lot really, it's actually quite a good example of an Urban Motorway.

Why do I get the feeling you're not telling all?

OK, there is one other thing, but you'd never tell.

What?

Simply that it hasn't been built to its fully planned route, but falls short by about a mile or so.

Ah, so that's why Regent Road (the A57) at the end isn't all that good?

That's right, the M602 was planned to meet the A57(M) Mancunian Way.

Its existence is given in 1970s documentation ("M602 Cross Lane to Mancunian Way") as a joint project between Manchester City Council and Salford City Council.

However, the story goes back before that..

How's that then?

The South Lancashire Motorway appears in the 1960s, including within the SELNEC Highways Plan of 1962. The M602 is simply the eastern end of what was then known as M52.

A little later on, it was decided that the motorway heading across from Merseyside to Yorkshire would have a single number, and the modern M62 (as opposed to the original M62) was born. This left this small section of motorway without a number - so M64 was allocated.

Finally, the official phobia regarding three digit motorway numbers was exposed as the daftness it always was, and M602 was born.

That's horribly confusing!

Yes, it is!

Just to add a final section to the story - the M602 has another unbuilt part. It appears that an M602 spur was once planned to Salford Docks, but the exact route of this section is yet to be determined.

How about some photos?

Well, as you asked so nicely - try here!

Can I comment on this motorway?

Of course! Contact me and I'll put them here!

Have any other visitors commented?

Simon comments:

Im going to be the first to comment on the M602. Ok ive never been on it, but its mentioned in a movie,  28 Days Later. Its mentioned in the movie that the army base is located just off the M602.

Mark Hallworth:

Yes, the M602 does indeed get mentioned in the film 28 Days Later. The main characters are looking for an army base + blockade which is described as being "On The M602, 26 miles north-east of Manchester".

Considering that the M602 is more or less the main way into Manchester, that would be a little bit inaccurate! I wonder if that goof was deliberate or not? Mind you, some film makers just never do their research properly.

Anyway, to the motorway in hand. The M602 (which I have used a few times) spends most of it's time in a concrete trench and is generally quite boring, but pretty much does what it says on the tin, which is getting traffic to and from Manchester City Centre quite quickly (having said that, I've never used it during rush hour, so I've no idea whether it jams or not).

If the M602 reached the A57(M), it probably wouldn't be pathetic. Instead the whole thing just terminates on a 'hamburger' junction/roundabout, leaving Mcr bound traffic having to negotiate several sets of traffic lights and a 40mph (I think) speed limit before reaching the Mancunian Way. Happy days, not!

Ryan disagrees! [March 08]

Regarding comment #2, and the apparent goof in 28 Days Later, i have to disagree. Danny Boyle, the director of 28 Days Later is a mancunian himself, and would most likely know that the M602 isn't north of Manchester, even if he didnt know its exact location.

I live right by J2 of the M602 and it's a convenient motorway linking both Manchester city centre to the suburbs, and also linking those suburbs to the M60/M62.

M602

Eccles Bypass

County:

Lancashire

Length:

6 miles

9 km

Built:

1971 - 82

Status:

Current

Map Links:

Might Have Been Map

Present Day Map

On other websites:

CBRD Motorway Database