The M5 is a

motorway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

linking the

Midlands The Midlands (also referred to as Central England) are a part of England that broadly correspond to the Kingdom of Mercia of the Early Middle Ages, bordered by Wales, Northern England and Southern England. The Midlands were important in the In ...

with the

South West The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sep ...

. It runs from junction 8 of the M6 at

West Bromwich West Bromwich ( ) is a market town in the borough of Sandwell, West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Historic counties of England, Historically part of Staffordshire, it is north-west of Birmingham. West Bromwich is part of the area ...

near

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...

Exeter Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal comm ...

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...

. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of

and west of Birmingham through

Sandwell Valley Sandwell Valley is an area of green belt in the county of West Midlands, England, on the border of Birmingham and West Bromwich, with Walsall at its northern end. It is a valley on the River Tame of which are owned by Sandwell Metropolita ...

. It continues past

Bromsgrove Bromsgrove is a town in Worcestershire, England, about northeast of Worcester and southwest of Birmingham city centre. It had a population of 29,237 in 2001 (39,644 in the wider Bromsgrove/Catshill urban area). Bromsgrove is the main town in th ...

(and from

and

is part of the Birmingham Motorway Box),

Droitwich Spa Droitwich Spa (often abbreviated to Droitwich ) is an historic spa town in the Wychavon district in northern Worcestershire, England, on the River Salwarpe. It is located approximately south-west of Birmingham and north-east of Worcester. T ...

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Engla ...

Tewkesbury Tewkesbury ( ) is a medieval market town and civil parish in the north of Gloucestershire, England. The town has significant history in the Wars of the Roses and grew since the building of Tewkesbury Abbey. It stands at the confluence of the Ri ...

Cheltenham Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...

Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east o ...

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city, Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Glouces ...

Clevedon Clevedon (, ) is an English seaside town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, part of the ceremonial county of Somerset. It recorded a parish population of 21,281 in the United Kingdom Census 2011, estimated at 21,442 ...

Weston-super-Mare Weston-super-Mare, also known simply as Weston, is a seaside town in North Somerset, England. It lies by the Bristol Channel south-west of Bristol between Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. It includes the suburbs of Mead Vale, Milton, Oldmix ...

Bridgwater Bridgwater is a large historic market town and civil parish in Somerset, England. Its population currently stands at around 41,276 as of 2022. Bridgwater is at the edge of the Somerset Levels, in level and well-wooded country. The town lies alon ...

Taunton Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...

, terminating at junction 31 for

. Congestion on the section south of the M4 is common during the summer holidays, on Friday afternoons and bank holidays.

Route

The M5 quite closely follows the route of the

A38 road The A38, parts of which are known as Devon Expressway, Bristol Road and Gloucester Road, is a major A-class trunk road in England. The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it the longest two-d ...

. The two deviate slightly around

and the area south of Bristol from junctions 16 to the Sedgemoor services north of junction 22. The A38 goes straight through the centre of Bristol and passes by

Bristol Airport Bristol Airport , at Lulsgate Bottom, on the northern slopes of the Mendip Hills, in North Somerset, is the commercial airport serving the city of Bristol, England, and the surrounding area. It is southwest of Bristol city centre. Built on ...

, while the M5 skirts both, with access to the airport from junctions 18, 19 or 22. The A38 continues south into Devon from junction 31, near

Exminster Exminster is a village situated on the southern edge of the City of Exeter on the western side of the Exeter ship canal and River Exe in the county of Devon, England. It is around south of the centre of Exeter, and has a population of 3,084 (c ...

. Junction 15 of the M5 is a large four-level

stack interchange A directional interchange, colloquially known as a stack interchange, is a type of grade-separated junction between two controlled-access highways that allows for free-flowing movement to and from all directions of traffic. These interchanges e ...

, named the Almondsbury Interchange, where the M5 meets the busy M4. The Avonmouth Bridge, between junctions 18 and 19, is often a bottleneck during heavy traffic periods, due mainly to lane drops at either ends of the bridge for the respective junctions, and the sharp angle in the centre of the bridge, which causes larger vehicles to slow considerably. There are split-level carriageways where the M5 ascends the hillsides above the

Gordano Valley Gordano (or the Gordano Valley; ) is an area of North Somerset, in England. It has been designated as a National Nature Reserve. The name Gordano comes from Old English and is descriptive of the triangular shape of the whole valley from Cleved ...

, between Portishead, junction 19 and

, junction 20. Between junction 21,

and junction 22,

Burnham-on-Sea Burnham-on-Sea is a seaside town in Somerset, England, at the mouth of the River Parrett, upon Bridgwater Bay. Burnham was a small fishing village until the late 18th century when it began to grow because of its popularity as a seaside resort. ...

, the M5 passes by an isolated landmark hill called Brent Knoll. The Willow Man sculpture is visible from both carriageways, and acts as a landmark just to the south of junction 23.

History

Construction

The first of the M5 motorway was constructed as a dual two-lane motorway with Worcestershire County Council acting as engineer. This sectionfrom junction 4 ( Lydiate Ash) in the north to a trumpet junction with the M50 in the southopened in July 1962., Table 7.3 This original section of the M5, from junctions 4 to 8, was widened to provide six lanes in the early 1990s. During this work, the northbound

Strensham services Strensham services is a motorway service station on the M5 in Worcestershire, England. It is operated by Roadchef. In August 2011, it was rated as 4 stars (southbound) and 3 stars (northbound) by quality assessors at Visit England. Unusuall ...

were rebuilt further away from the modified M50 junction. Worcestershire County Council, the police and particularly the

county surveyor A county surveyor is a public official in the United Kingdom and the United States. United Kingdom Webb & Webb describe the increasing chaos that began to prevail within this same period in field of county surveying in England and Wales, with c ...

of Worcestershire made repeated representations that a dual three-lane standard motorway was appropriate. The Ministry of Transport insisted that a dual two-lane motorway would be built at a cost of around £8million. The Motorways Archive also records that the carriageways were also built to a lower overall width of rather than to reduce the loss of agricultural land. When the decision became necessary to widen the Worcestershire section of M5, it cost £123million. The dual two-lane section between junctions 16 and 17 built at

Filton Filton is a town and civil parish in South Gloucestershire, England, north of Bristol. Along with nearby Patchway and Bradley Stoke, Filton forms part of the Bristol urban area and has become an overflow settlement for the city. Filton Church ...

, near

, was also opened in 1962, and was intended to replace the pre-war Filton bypass.Ordnance Survey One Inch Map of Great Britain, Series 7 Sheet 156, major roads revised 1963. Gloucestershire County Council acted as engineer for this section, which was widened to a dual three-lane motorway in 1969. North of junction 4 the M5 was constructed in sections, from 1967 to 1970, together with the

Frankley services Frankley services is a motorway service station on the M5 motorway between Junctions 3 (A456, Quinton Interchange) and 4 (A38, Lydiate Ash), near Birmingham, and taking its name from the nearby village of Frankley. History It is owned by M ...

. Much of the northern section beyond junction 3, from about Oldbury to the junction with the

M6 motorway The M6 motorway is the longest motorway in the United Kingdom. It is located entirely within England, running for just over from the Midlands to the border with Scotland. It begins at Junction 19 of the M1 and the western end of the A14 at ...

, was constructed as an elevated dual three-lane motorway over Birmingham Canal (Old Main Line), Birmingham Canal (New Main Line), and Titford Pool using

concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wid ...

pillars. The M5 was also extended southwards, in sections, from 1967 to 1977, through Gloucestershire &

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lor ...

, to

as a dual three-lane motorway, together with the Strensham services. The short section between junctions 27 and 29 was built between 1967 and 1969, by

Devon County Council Devon County Council is the county council administering the English county of Devon. Based in the city of Exeter, the council covers the non-metropolitan county area of Devon. Members of the council (councillors) are elected every four years to ...

, as the ''A38

Cullompton Cullompton () is a town and civil parish in the district of Mid Devon and the county of Devon, England. It is north-east of Exeter and lies on the River Culm. In 2011 the parish as a whole had a population of 8,499 while the built-up area of ...

Bypass'', with the intention that it should become part of the M5. The termini for this section have since been removed, although part of the southern terminal roundabout is now used as an emergency access. The section was developed to motorway standards, and incorporated into the M5 in 1975.

Operational history

Junction 1 surrounds a surviving gatehouse from the former

Sandwell Hall Sandwell Hall was a mansion house in the county of West Midlands (originally in Staffordshire), England, about east of West Bromwich. The site is within Sandwell Valley Country Park. It was built in 1711 for William Legge, 1st Earl of Dartmou ...

. The section from junctions 16 and 18 was illuminated in about 1973 as part or a wider policy announced by UK Minister for Transport Industries in 1972 to illuminate the of UK motorway particularly prone to fog. In the late 1980s, junction 4a was built as part of the

M42 motorway The M42 motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and Tamworth on the way, serving the east of the Bi ...

construction project. The route of the M42 was decided as early as 1972 but, owing to planning delays, the short section of the M42 north of

did not open until December 1989. As the M5 traffic increased in the 1980s, junction 11, the main Gloucester and Cheltenham access (via the A40 Golden Valley by-pass) became increasingly congested. At the same time there were plans for large scale business and housing developments at Brockworth, near Gloucester. To relieve junction 11 of some of the new traffic generated, & avoid more congestion around both Cheltenham & Gloucester, a new junction, 11A, south of junction 11, was constructed and opened in the mid-1990s. A further feature of this junction was to create a new route from the south west Midlands to London and central southern England via the A417, A419 and the M4 at junction 15. 040424 026 avonmouth

The Avonmouth Bridge was converted to eight lanes (four lanes in each direction) in the early 2000s. Later, in 2005–2006, parts of the M5 between junctions 17 and 20 were widened to 7 lanes (four lanes climbing the hills and three lanes descending the hills);

variable message sign A variable- (also changeable-, electronic-, or dynamic-) message sign, often abbreviated VMS, CMS, or DMS, and in the UK known as a matrix sign, is an electronic traffic sign often used on roadways to give travelers information about special ...

s were added and parts of the central reservation was converted to a concrete step barrier. During this stage of construction the M5 became Britain's longest contraflow system, spanning between junctions 19 and 20. The M5 contraflow was said to be the most complicated ever built in the UK as the motorway is on a split level around the steep hills of the

; meaning four lanes plus an additional emergency vehicle lane were squeezed into that section. m5 motorway at gordano in bristol arp

In 2002, extended exits for junction 12 were constructed. The

Highways Agency National Highways, formerly the Highways Agency and later Highways England, is a State-owned enterprise, government-owned company charged with operating, maintaining and improving Roads in England, motorways and major A roads in England. It al ...

did not anticipate the traffic flows through the junction and the resultant queues can now extend back onto the motorway. This is because of an increase in traffic from

Stroud Stroud is a market town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It is the main town in Stroud District. The town's population was 13,500 in 2021. Below the western escarpment of the Cotswold Hills, at the meeting point of the Five Va ...

intending to use the M5 northbound. The distance from junctions 12 and 13 is similar and traffic congestion is heavy on the A419 towards junction 13 whereas it is usually lighter on the B4008 towards junction 12. As traffic leaving the M5 northbound towards

needs to give way to this traffic coming from the B4008, the queue on the motorway can extend beyond the first sign for the junction. The Cullompton services are signed on the motorway in the northbound direction only. This was implemented to reduce congestion at the low capacity junction, although there is still access available to the services southbound through the junction. Also, the northbound exit slip to the junction was reduced to one lane instead of two to reduce traffic on the small roundabout at the west side of the junction. In 2009, it was announced that the lighting between junctions 30 and 31 would be turned off between midnight and 5.00am to save energy. Proposals were announced in September 2009 for a new Gloucester Services between junctions 11a and 12. A planning application was submitted in December 2009. Stroud District councillors approved the services in August 2010. The Services opened in May 2014 In September 2020,

Highways England National Highways, formerly the Highways Agency and later Highways England, is a government-owned company charged with operating, maintaining and improving motorways and major A roads in England. It also sets highways standards used by all f ...

announced that the section between junctions 1 and 2 in the West Midlands will be one of four in

to have its speed limit reduced to sixty miles per hour in a bid to reduce high levels of atmospheric

nitrogen dioxide Nitrogen dioxide is a chemical compound with the formula . It is one of several nitrogen oxides. is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year for use primarily in the productio ...

in the particular area.

Future developments

In 2020, it was announced that junction 10 would be undergoing significant roadworks as part of a redevelopment project on the A4019. The works will involve making the interchange full-access and dualling the A4019 east of the junction into Cheltenham. Works will commence in 2023 (subject to permission being granted) and be completed in 2024, according to the Gloucestershire County Council. There have been suggestions that the Government extend the M5 south, to the city of

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to ...

, which currently relies on the

. The argument for such an extension has intensified in light of the closure of

Plymouth City Airport Plymouth City Airport is a 'mothballed' airport located within the Plymouth, City of Plymouth north northeast of the city centre in Devon, England at Derriford (formerly Roborough, South Hams, Roborough). The airport opened on this site in 1 ...

in 2011, and the 2014 breaching of the South Devon Railway sea wall following storms that in turn, cut off Plymouth and Cornwall's rail access. Improvements to junction 25 at Taunton were approved with an £18million programme that will include the enlargement of the junction roundabout, the widening of the eastern junction slip road exit, and an additional roundabout southeast of the junction to provide access to a new business park and to a proposed bypass of the

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

of Henlade.

Incidents and events

Discovery of bones

In October 2009, workmen clearing vegetation from the slip road at junction 14 discovered human

bone A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, ...

s in a black

bin bag A bin bag, rubbish bag (British English), garbage bag, bin liner, trash bag (American English) or refuse sack is a disposable bag used to contain solid waste. Such bags are useful to line the insides of waste containers to prevent the insides ...

dumped in the

bushes A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

. The police were called soon after, and it was soon established that the bones were those of a young female. A few days later, DNA found on the remains confirmed that the body was that of Melanie Hall, a Bath hospital worker who disappeared in June 1996 after a night out in

Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Pl ...

, and who had been declared dead in absentia in 2004. Dental records confirmed that the body was hers, and the police began a formal investigation into her murder. As of 2016 no one has been prosecuted in connection with this case. Some keys were also discovered and the police contacted Ford to help them trace the vehicle.

2011 multi-vehicle collision

On the evening of Friday 4 November 2011, seven people were killed and a further 51 injured in a major crash involving over 50 vehicles which included cars,

vans Vans is an American manufacturer of skateboarding shoes and related apparel, established in Anaheim, California, and owned by VF Corporation. The company also sponsors surf, snowboarding, BMX, and motocross teams. From 1996 to 2019, the comp ...

and large goods vehicles near junction 25 in

West Monkton West Monkton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated north east of Taunton in the Somerset West and Taunton district. The parish includes the hamlets of Monkton Heathfield, Bathpool, and Burlinch and the western parts o ...

, near

. Several vehicles were burnt out in the fire which developed at the scene as the result of a series of explosions, and the road surface was seriously damaged, not just by the fire and explosions, but also by fuel spillage. The cause of the crash, which took place in wet foggy conditions close to a firework display, was investigated. One person was charged for breach under health and safety laws and found not guilty.

Junctions

Data from

driver location signs Driver location signs are signs placed every along each side of English motorways, and some other major English roads, to provide information that will allow motorists to know their precise location. , roads in England, but not Scotland, Wale ...

are used to provide distance and carriageway identifier information. Where both the start and end point of the junction are known, both have been included. {, style="margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em; color:black;" class="wikitable" , - style="background:#0079C1; text-align:center; color:white; font-size:120%;" , colspan="6" , M5 motorway junctions , - style="background:#000; text-align:center; color:white;" , mile , km , North-east bound exits (B carriageway) , Junction , South-west bound exits (A carriageway) , Coordinates , - style="text-align:center;" , 0.0 , 0.0 ,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

(M1, M40),

(N&E), The North West,

Walsall Walsall (, or ; locally ) is a market town and administrative centre in the West Midlands County, England. Historically part of Staffordshire, it is located north-west of Birmingham, east of Wolverhampton and from Lichfield. Walsall is th ...

Wolverhampton Wolverhampton () is a city, metropolitan borough and administrative centre in the West Midlands, England. The population size has increased by 5.7%, from around 249,500 in 2011 to 263,700 in 2021. People from the city are called "Wulfrunians ...

M6 , M6 J8 , ''Start of motorway'' , M , - style="text-align:center;" , 2.7
3.3 , 4.3
5.3 ,

(NW) A41 , J1 ,

Sandwell Sandwell is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands county in England. The borough is named after the Sandwell Priory, and spans a densely populated part of the West Midlands conurbation. According to Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council ...

(NW) A41 , , - style="text-align:center;" , 5.2
5.8 , 8.4
9.3 ,

Dudley Dudley is a large market town and administrative centre in the county of West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically an exclave of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the ...

A4123 , J2 ,

(W),

A4123 , , - style="text-align:center;" , 8.6
9.0 , 13.8
14.5 ,

(W&C) A456 , J3 ,

Kidderminster Kidderminster is a large market and historic minster town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, south-west of Birmingham and north of Worcester. Located north of the River Stour and east of the River Severn, in the 2011 census, it ha ...

A456 , , - style="text-align:center;" , , , style=background:skyblue , ''Entering West Midlands'' , , style=background:skyblue , ''Entering

Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see H ...

'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , , , ''

'' , ''Services'' , ''

'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 14.0
14.4 , 22.5
23.2 ,

(SW) A38,

Stourbridge Stourbridge is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the West Midlands, England, situated on the River Stour. Historically in Worcestershire, it was the centre of British glass making during the Industrial Revolution. The ...

A491 , J4 ,

(SW),

A38 , , - style="text-align:center;" , 16.1 , 25.9 , ''End of

variable speed limit Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed - expres ...

, rowspan=2, J4A ,

(M40), National Exhibition Centre,

M42 , rowspan=2, , - style="text-align:center;" , 16.6 , 26.7 , The North East, National Exhibition Centre,

M42 , ''Start of

, - style="text-align:center;" , 21.4
21.7 , 34.5
35.0 ,

Droitwich Droitwich Spa (often abbreviated to Droitwich ) is an historic spa town in the Wychavon district in northern Worcestershire, England, on the River Salwarpe. It is located approximately south-west of Birmingham and north-east of Worcester. The ...

A38 , J5 ,

A38 , , - style="text-align:center;" , 27.0
27.5 , 43.5
44.2 ,

(N),

A449 , rowspan=2, J6 ,

(N) A449,

Evesham Evesham () is a market town and parish in the Wychavon district of Worcestershire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is located roughly equidistant between Worcester, Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon. It lies within the Vale of Eves ...

A4538 , rowspan=2, , - style="text-align:center;" , , , ''Start of

, ''End of

, - style="text-align:center;" , 30.2
30.7 , 48.6
49.4 ,

(S),

A44 , J7 ,

(S) A44 , , - style="text-align:center;" , , , ''

(northbound)'' , rowspan=2, ''Services'' , ''No access'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , , , ''No access'' , ''

(southbound)'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 39.7 , 63.9 , style=background:skyblue , ''Entering

'' , rowspan=2, J8 ,

South Wales South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...

, Ross M50 , rowspan=2, , - style="text-align:center;" , 40.0 , 64.4 ,

, Ross M50 , style=background:skyblue , ''Entering

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of ...

'' , - style="text-align:center;" , , , style=background:skyblue , ''Entering

'' , rowspan=2 , , '' River Avon'' , rowspan=2, , - style="text-align:center;" , , , '' River Avon'' , style=background:skyblue , ''Entering

'' , - style="text-align:center;" , , , style=background:skyblue , ''Entering

'' , , style=background:skyblue , ''Entering

'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 43.4
43.9 , 69.8
70.6 ,

A438,

A46 , J9 ,

A46,

A438 , , - style="text-align:center;" , 48.3
48.5 , 77.7
78.0 , ''No access (on-slip only)'' , J10 ,

A4019 , , - style="text-align:center;" , 51.0
51.4 , 82.1
82.8 ,

A40 , J11 ,

, Staverton A40 , , - style="text-align:center;" , 53.4
54.0 , 85.9
86.9 ,

Cirencester Cirencester (, ; see below for more variations) is a market town in Gloucestershire, England, west of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswolds. It is the home of ...

A417 , J11A ,

A417 , , - style="text-align:center;" , , , '' Gloucester services'' , ''Services'' , '' Gloucester services'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 60.2
60.5 , 96.9
97.4 ,

(A38) , J12 ,

(A38) , , - style="text-align:center;" , 63.3
63.7 , 101.8
102.5 ,

A419 , J13 ,

, Dursley A419 , , - style="text-align:center;" , 71.9 , 115.7 , '' Michaelwood services'' , ''Services'' , '' Michaelwood services'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 73.6
73.9 , 118.4
119.0 , Dursley B4509 , J14 , Thornbury B4509 , , - style="text-align:center;" , , , ''End of

, rowspan=2, J15 , ''Start of

, rowspan=2, , - style="text-align:center;" , 81.1
81.7 , 130.5
131.5 ,

Chepstow Chepstow ( cy, Cas-gwent) is a town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the tidal River Wye, about above its confluence with the River Severn, and adjoining the wester ...

(M48) M4(W)

M4(E) ,

(M48) M4(W) , - style="text-align:center;" , 82.0
82.3 , 132.0
132.5 , Thornbury,

A38 , J16 , Thornbury,

A38 , , - style="text-align:center;" , 84.2
84.6 , 135.5
136.2 ,

(W), Cribbs Causeway A4018 , rowspan=2, J17 ,

(W), Cribbs Causeway A4018 , rowspan=2, , - style="text-align:center;" , , , ''Start of

, ''End of

, - style="text-align:center;" , , , style=background:skyblue , ''Entering

'' , , style=background:skyblue , ''Entering

'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 87.4
87.7 , 140.6
141.2 ,

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a ...

, Newport M49 (M4(W)) , J18A , ''No access (on-slip only)'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 88.0
88.2 , 141.6
142.0 ,

Shirehampton Shirehampton is a district of Bristol in England, near Avonmouth, at the northwestern edge of the city. It originated as a separate village, retains a High Street with a parish church and shops, and is still thought of as a village by many of it ...

Avonmouth Avonmouth is a port and outer suburb of Bristol, England, facing two rivers: the reinforced north bank of the final stage of the Avon which rises at sources in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Somerset; and the eastern shore of the Severn Es ...

, Docks A4,

Aust Aust is a small village in South Gloucestershire, England, about north of Bristol and about south west of Gloucester. It is located on the eastern side of the Severn estuary, close to the eastern end of the Severn Bridge which carries the M ...

(A403) , J18 ,

(West),

A4 , , - style="text-align:center;" , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , , style=background:skyblue , ''Entering

'' , rowspan=2 , , '' Avonmouth Bridge'' , rowspan=2 , , - style="text-align:center;" , '' Avonmouth Bridge'' , style=background:skyblue , ''Entering

'' , - style="text-align:center;" , 90.1 , 145.0 ,

Clifton Clifton may refer to: People * Clifton (surname) * Clifton (given name) Places Australia *Clifton, Queensland, a town ** Shire of Clifton *Clifton, New South Wales, a suburb of Wollongong * Clifton, Western Australia Canada * Clifton, Nova Sc ...

(Toll), Portishead,

Royal Portbury Dock The Royal Portbury Dock is part of the Port of Bristol, in England. It is situated near the village of Portbury on the southern side of the mouth of the Avon, where the river joins the Severn estuary — the Avonmouth Docks are on the ...

A369
'' Gordano services'' , J19
''Services'' , Portishead,

A369
'' Gordano services'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 96.7 , 155.6 ,

, Nailsea B3133 , J20 ,

, Nailsea B3133 , , - style="text-align:center;" , , , colspan=3 , ''Blind Yeo'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 102.3 , 164.6 ,

(South) A370 , J21 ,

A370 , , - style="text-align:center;" , , , colspan=3 , '' River Axe'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 109.1 , 175.6 , '' Sedgemoor services'' , ''Services'' , '' Sedgemoor services'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 111.7 , 179.8 ,

(South),

A38 , J22 , Highbridge,

A38 , , - style="text-align:center;" , , , colspan=3 , ''

River Brue The River Brue originates in the parish of Brewham in Somerset, England, and reaches the sea some west at Burnham-on-Sea. It originally took a different route from Glastonbury to the sea, but this was changed by Glastonbury Abbey in the twelft ...

'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , , , colspan=3 , ''

Huntspill River The River Huntspill (or Huntspill River) is an artificial river, in the Somerset Levels, in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England. It was built in 1940 to supply process water to ROF Bridgwater, and has resulted in reduced flooding of the ...

'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 116.9 , 188.1 , Highbridge (A38),

Glastonbury Glastonbury (, ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,932 in the 2011 census. Glastonbur ...

, Wells A39 , J23 ,

(A38),

Minehead Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It lies on the south bank of the Bristol Channel, north-west of the county town of Taunton, from the boundary with the county of Devon and in proximity of the Exmoor National ...

, Wells A39 , , - style="text-align:center;" , , , colspan=3 , ''

King's Sedgemoor Drain King's Sedgemoor Drain is an artificial drainage channel which diverts the River Cary in Somerset, England along the southern flank of the Polden Hills, to discharge into the River Parrett at Dunball near Bridgwater. As the name suggests, the ...

'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , , , colspan=3 , ''

River Parrett The River Parrett flows through the counties of Dorset and Somerset in South West England, from its source in the Thorney Mills springs in the hills around Chedington in Dorset. Flowing northwest through Somerset and the Somerset Levels to ...

'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 121.8
122.0 , 196.0
196.3 ,

A38
'' Bridgwater services'' , J24
''Services'' ,

(A39)
'' Bridgwater services'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , , , colspan=3 , ''

River Tone The River Tone is a river in the English county of Somerset. The river is about long. Its source is at Beverton Pond near Huish Champflower in the Brendon Hills, and is dammed at Clatworthy Reservoir. The reservoir outfall continues throu ...

'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 128.4
128.6 , 206.7
206.9 ,

Yeovil Yeovil ( ) is a town and civil parish in the district of South Somerset, England. The population of Yeovil at the last census (2011) was 45,784. More recent estimates show a population of 48,564. It is close to Somerset's southern border with ...

A358 , J25 ,

Honiton Honiton ( or ) is a market town and civil parish in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, north east of Exeter in the county of Devon. Honiton has a population estimated at 11,822 (based on mid-year estimates for the two Honiton Ward ...

, Weymouth A358 , , - style="text-align:center;" , 133.3 , 214.5 , '' Taunton Deane services'' , ''Services'' , '' Taunton Deane services'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 135.3
135.5 , 217.8
218.0 ,

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by ...

A38 , J26 ,

A38 , , - style="text-align:center;" , , , style=background:skyblue , ''Entering

'' , , style=background:skyblue , ''Entering

'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 143.4
143.7 , 230.7
231.3 ,

Barnstaple Barnstaple ( or ) is a river-port town in North Devon, England, at the River Taw's lowest crossing point before the Bristol Channel. From the 14th century, it was licensed to export wool and won great wealth. Later it imported Irish wool, bu ...

, Tiverton A361,

A38 , J27 , Tiverton,

A361 , , - style="text-align:center;" , 147.6
147.9 , 237.5
238.0 ,

B3181
'' Cullompton services'' , J28
''Services'' ,

A373,

B3181 , , - style="text-align:center;" , 157.7
158.1 , 253.8
254.4 ,

A30 , J29 ,

A30 (East),

, , - style="text-align:center;" , 158.9
159.3 , 255.7
256.3 ,

A379,

Exmouth Exmouth is a port town, civil parish and seaside resort, sited on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe and southeast of Exeter. In 2011 it had a population of 34,432, making Exmouth the 5th most populous settlement in Devon. Hi ...

A376,

Sidmouth Sidmouth () is a town on the English Channel in Devon, South West England, southeast of Exeter. With a population of 12,569 in 2011, it is a tourist resort and a gateway to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. A large part of the town h ...

(A3052)
'' Exeter services'' , J30
''Services'' ,

Dawlish Dawlish is an English seaside resort town and civil parish in Teignbridge on the south coast of Devon, from the county town of Exeter and from the larger resort of Torquay. Its 2011 population of 11,312 was estimated at 13,355 in 2019. It is ...

A379,

A376
'' Exeter services'' , , - style="text-align:center;" , 162.4
162.6 , 261.4
261.7 , ''Start of motorway'' UK motorway symbol

, rowspan=2, J31 ,

Bodmin Bodmin () is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated south-west of Bodmin Moor. The extent of the civil parish corresponds fairly closely to that of the town so is mostly urban in character. It is bordered ...

Okehampton Okehampton ( ) is a town and civil parish in West Devon in the English county of Devon. It is situated at the northern edge of Dartmoor, and had a population of 5,922 at the 2011 census. Two electoral wards are based in the town (east and w ...

A30 , , - style="text-align:center;" , 162.7 , 261.8 ,

A30 (West),

(A377)
''Non-motorway traffic'' , ''End of motorway Mauritius Road Signs - Information Sign - End of Motorway

Road continues as'' A38 ''towards

Torquay Torquay ( ) is a seaside town in Devon, England, part of the unitary authority area of Torbay. It lies south of the county town of Exeter and east-north-east of Plymouth, on the north of Tor Bay, adjoining the neighbouring town of Paig ...

'' ,

Cultural references

M5#1 is a song from the 1994 album ''Middle Class Revolt'' by post-punk band ''The Fall'' which uses the M5 to describe reverting to a romanticised agricultural past that never really existed.

Route

History

Construction

Operational history

Future developments

Incidents and events

Discovery of bones

2011 multi-vehicle collision

Junctions

Cultural references

See also

References

Notes

Sources

Further reading

External links