The UNINTENTIONALLY FLAWED Lofthouse Interchange - M1 & M62 Motorway

[@southcalder]

You forget about Option D: Bury our heads in the sand and forget the problem exists until such time as the structure collapses. Option D is the most favoured of most UK government planners.

[@john1703]

This is what will happen, because knowingly shutting down the interchange for months or years will be unthinkable.

[@jonathanstead3867]

@@john1703 they might have no choice i believe its becoming unsafe

[@john1703]

@@jonathanstead3867 That would be different. I bet they would have to re-locate the roads somewhat, to avoid stopping the traffic flow. I assume the roundabout itself is the cause of your cited issue. It might not be pretty, but extra slip-roads, like M62 west to M1 north, would take some load from the roundabout. Compulsory land purchase!

[@abarratt8869]

@@john1703 Possibly they could do it by building a new junction nearby, and re-route the motorways to it? There may not be room for this...

[@loddude5706]

@@jonathanstead3867 Well, rubble IS a financially prudent traffic calming measure . . . : )

[@andrewwebb3431]

The roundabout might well be an absolute pain but, being the kind of person that loves maps and aerial photography, I am always in awe of just how circular they were able to make it and the very pleasing symmetry of the connecting roads. Very satisfying. If you don’t believe me take a look for yourself!

[@whoeveriam0iam14222]

it does look pretty cool if you're not stuck on it twice every work day

[@ehsnils]

A "turbine" interchange looks quite similar but is a lot more efficient.

[@Double_Vision]

I'm something of a circle expert myself and surely it can't be that rounOHMYWORD

[@dopiaza2006]

Yep, and it's pretty much at the start of the approach to Leeds Bradford Airport so you get a great view on the way in. I was always struck by it's 'circularness' from above!

[@rjjcms1]

I admit to being one of those who appreciates a sweeping curve in a design and admires this kind of architecture and engineering when passing through it. Driving through it has largely been when travelling to away football matches in the north,and I haven't done that for some time now,so I haven't really experienced its congestion problems.

[@TheJiveDancer1975]

Nice to see the photo I took at 3:23. That was August 1998, we had finally opened the new slip road bridge and were busy digging out the approx. 0.5m cu.m of sandstone to form the cutting.

[@GingerJonnyPlays]

That's a lot of male sauce to be getting out of some sandstone!

[@typhoon2827]

It works brilliantly at 5am Sunday mornings.

[@GARDENER42]

M6 through the Lune gorge used to be like that in the early 90s - found out you could indeed redline a Triumph Daytona in top gear. 😁

[@typhoon2827]

@GARDENER42 possibly the best stretch of motorway in the world, especially at 4am in summer 🤣

[@KX36]

except for the last couple of years the M62 and M1 around it are closed for road works overnight at that time.

[@pauleff3312]

the need to complete the Sheffield to Manchester too

[@FirstnameLastname-qe3ry]

This guys videos are spot on. Straight to the point. No pointless intro, just straight into pointless road network projects!

[@jonjohnson2844]

Did this one about 500 times when I was going to uni, it looks like a complete mess on a map but, from a driving perspective, I think it's one of the most seamless interchanges between two very busy sections on the entire network (northbound to westbound)...provided you're aware of other motorists and slower moving HGVs...obviously there's always some twat in an Audi with tunnel vision and their foot to the floor.

[@David_Crayford]

Or BMW, etc.

[@Dewedin.]

Northbound to Westbound is fine because it's a left turn and those have all been free-flowed. The problem is with the right turns that have to use the roundabout, East to South + North to East + West to North.

[@jonjohnson2844]

I think east to south is free flowing too, but it's just a single lane (on to the M1 slip road), the only issue with north to west is the number of lanes converging with such a big difference in speeds/vehicle types. Never had an issue but you're definitely reliant on everyone paying attention and not being a dick.

[@alex-simpson]

I can confirm that going from M62W to M1N is a fucking nightmare.

[@dopiaza2006]

I find it quite fun!

[@jonno2000]

Definitely a PITA when the idiots belt down the outside lane (m62) then cut across at the last minute, pure stupidity and dangerous.

[@dopiaza2006]

@@jonno2000 I find that way worse at the M606 junction. No idea why.

[@AndrewPresovArdsley]

Far worse going M62 east to M1(S)

[@alex-simpson]

@@AndrewPresovArdsley it's pretty bad yeah. What on earth possessed them to have two lanes go down to one on the slip road I'll never know.

[@Twiglet015]

I use it almost daily. One problem is that both lanes entering the roundabout go around to the third exit. Not a problem in itself but because there's traffic lights on the roundabout, sometimes traffic on the inside lane catch up and overtake the traffic on the outside lane. This can lead to the inside lane traffic wanting to take the exit and the outside lane traffic passing the same exit wanting to take the next one.

[@MyKelvin89]

I don’t think it’s a bad interchange except for problem you mentioned

[@BMWMike]

What I hate about it is the lane changing when joining the m1 at J41. Moving over two lanes, going under the junction then moving back again, whilst avoiding people joining from the M62 eastbound wanting to take the the M621. And the same coming southbound.

[@harry6615]

This happens all the time, and while locals are familiar with the problem and are able to anticipate it happening, it can pose a danger for those who are not familiar with the junction. Near misses are a regular daily occurance.

[@MA-hc6mb]

It's a paint/signage issue. Easily fixed, but it won't be until someone dies.

[@youwould69]

I came here to say the same thing. It's a highly annoying problem when it happens and is dangerous.

[@mk14dr]

It's J42 of the M1, but a cracking video none-the-less.

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

They underestimated the level of traffic on the M62 right from the get-go. It started as a 2-lane motorway and was immediately overcrowded so they had to start adding lanes, and they've been tinkering with it to add capacity ever since. I remember the original Lofthouse Junction when it was just a roundabout under motorway regulations. It worked fine in the wee small hours but God help you if you were there in the rush hour !

[@abarratt8869]

Two roundabout treats within a few days of each other - fabulous. First the Magic Roundabout, and now this junction with - yes - a very interesting approach to thermal expansion. Thanks John!

[@terryhoath1983]

Maybe, all the junction needs is a magic roundabout.

[@tasty_fish]

This junction brings back fond memories of a trip to a game we had at Bishop Auckland FC and our minibus driver was involved in a big shunt here on the roundabout that wrote it off. We got picked up by the supporters coach so all was not lost, especially our beer.

[@nowster]

Lofthouse M1/M62 and the A1(M)/M18 junctions are rare things, having perfectly circular roundabouts.

[@antonycharnock2993]

They are cool to look at but I've driven through both on a regular basis. Traffic is awful at rush hour on both.

[@tonysadler5290]

Another gem from our John! I still travel about on the motorways, but not as much. However, these days it's a whole lot more interesting thanks to John's videos.

[@nervo6321]

Great video cheers…I hit a huge pothole on that junction that shattered my windscreen and blew my front tyre…put a claim in to Highways England…guess what ? They told me that after a thorough investigation they found no defects on that piece of road and that it is inspected every day…what a load of bollocks.

[@roberttaylor7462]

Further option build that corner cutting motorway as there's a few residents of villages in the areas to the south west that want some kind of bypass route. Plus a corner cutting all purpose route is a logical way to travel between Sheffield and Lancashire/Manchester.

[@wakeywarrior]

Very good video, near me this, I’m surprised you got so many watching videos about the bridge down at Sheffield and a roundabout near Wakefield, but you did it by making the apparently mundane interesting.

[@motorcloud]

The roundabout also has a layout that is destined for more crashes and near misses. If you are coming onto the roundabout from M1 north, going right to M62 East, you use both lanes. If you are entering the roundabout from M62 West, going M1 north, you also use both lanes. There are traffic lights at the point where the two cross meaning BOTH lanes legitimately can go both left and right. The lights back up the traffic meaning unless everyone is indicating where they are going (which they don’t), they crash into each other. I’ve seen a few crashes and plenty of near misses, but nothing has ever been done about the road layout.

[@macblack82]

I was going to say this exact thing. Seen so many near misses at that exit.

[@TheDigger06]

Agreed, but itd really help.if drivers could actually well,,drive....

[@jasonshaw9096]

Used to do it everyday. Just need to be aware of people who didn't need to stop for lights coming fast from M62. Indicators and be prepared to give way.

[@rachelwalker7091]

Jon must have been there at a weekend. If you visit during rush hour you can see how truly awful and dangerous it is. Should have been redesigned when the M1 link road was built. Thanks Jon for the views of the interchange that we wouldn’t normally see.

[@antmerritt]

Man I always wondered what those piers were designed like that for! Wow! Now I know. Glad I don’t have to drive under it anymore. 😬

[@ollihakala710]

"There's no solution to traffic, except viable alternatives to driving..."

[@rjjcms1]

Like what?

[@jantjarks7946]

Building roads is building traffic. 🤷

[@AndrewPresovArdsley]

@ollihakala710 a proper mass transit system for Leeds would help be it trams (like we used to have) or a decent bus service that turns up

[@macky4074]

We don't do that sort of thing outside of London!

[@shaun30-3-mg9zs]

Hi Jon, a lot of motorway junctions like this need to change, I could not believe that on the M5 / M50 junction was changed to a roundabout junction as it was originally a trumpet interchange. The M6 / M58 junction needs the two roundabout junction changing to a free flowing junction. M60 Manchester ring road with M62, you have to come off the M60 to a roundabout and rejoin the M60 this needs to be free flowing and the A55 / A483 at Chester needs to be a free flowing junction I know it not a motorway but these two roads are almost motorway standard, A lot of traffic on this route are coming from the M53 / M56 heading West and this junction needs to be free flowing towards A483 Wrexham. Great video on this roundabout interchange M1 / M62 and yes this does need to be free flowing, Take care

[@WilliamHorrocks]

M60/M62/M60 free flowing slip roads will be happening, not sure when though…………….

[@shaun30-3-mg9zs]

@@WilliamHorrocks that will be better, it's bit of pain to use the roundabout on a busy motorway ring road

[@jfwfreo]

Supposedly the M5/M50 became a roundabout because there are certain vehicles that can't cross the M50 viaduct without an escort and they needed the roundabout to provide a space for the escort to work.

[@davidfletcher-v2i]

As a member of the original design team for the interchange I would like to correct the commentary as far as the articulation of the structure is concerned. The thermal movements were the least of the problems as it was predicted that there would be at least 6ft of subsidence from mining operations to be accomodated , hence the fully articulated structure (spherical bearings at the top and bottom of the props and at the bottom of the 'banana pier', sideways collapse prevented by articulated ties at deck level). The specification for capacity being given by the Dept of Transport and not determined by the design team. The form of the structure is another story.

[@tommarney1561]

@@davidfletcher-v2i SIX FEET OF SUBSIDENCE??????

[@ashleywebster2659]

Complex engineering principles and traffic management explained in an easy to understand fashion; and pole dancing! What more could you ask for from a video? Any idea why that lamp post was in the middle of the path, BTW?

[@MikeyDunn]

The only problem I've ever encountered here is when travelling eastbound on the M62 in the late afternoon, lanes 1 & 2 back up so I'd be in lane 3 as early as possible, then the idiots fly past in lane 4, and slam on the brakes to cut in at the front of lane 2, usually causing trucks to hit the brakes and back it up even more. If southbound traffic from the west had it's own two-lane bypass to get onto the M1 then the junction would probably cope a hell of a lot better.

[@Neohurricane]

I often wonder why I watch a series about road junctions. Either 1. I am rather boring or 2. You are very enthusiastic and entertaining. I settled on option 2 😅

[@laurencecharlton8760]

Sarcasm comes to Yorkshire mid week!!👍👍 Tykes smiling!😂

[@ChrisJay]

Its funny I remember driving on the roads from Brighouse to Barnsley which follows the Extra Motorway, there was a huge campaign to "sink the link" in and around Flockton and West Bretton.. they sank the link.. and now 30 years later they are campaigning for a bypass.. yes because the traffic you want to bypass your village would have been happy on the "link" cant win

[@egpx]

They've been campaigning for a Flockton bypass for many years. Probably all of those 30 years you are talking about.

[@timkohler]

To be fair, Flockton in the rush-hour is bl**dy awful, but when I've had to go that way and seen the signs demanding a by-pass, my first thought is always "where the hell are you going to put it, and will you not complain about that too?" Which seems to be what happened 30 years ago...... Although the cancelled link would have taken some of the traffic, the main problem seems to be commuter traffic into Leeds, and I don't think it would affect that.

[@timwilks666]

Don't use it very often, but it's rare that there's not some kind of diversion here one way or another on a trip into/out of Leeds.

[@stefencooke]

I liked the video and used the button spacifically for that

[@dougdavidson175]

Me too!

[@campagnian]

The curved supports of the roundabout section indeed look kinda cool and unusual 🤩

[@joewebster3640]

Thanks

[@David_Crayford]

@@unstoppable2180 You are only jealous.

[@321alison]

@@unstoppable2180 Give him chance.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Thanks a lot mate, appreciate that :)

[@Dwagginz]

Ooh, nice to see a video from relatively near me. I must have been through this junction before but I can't say for sure.

[@SarahJonestoo]

Another super video. Thank you. And perhaps my favourite 12 seconds in any of your videos from 4:00

[@hellojasonsuresh]

I think there's a bit of underlying context missing here - this is a major junction on the edge of one of the UK's largest cities, Leeds. The A1-M1 link is also named the South East Leeds Orbital and the M1/M62 effectively form a southern orbital route around Leeds. The Lofthouse interchange is a key node on that orbital and the sliproads were built try to deal with that. The problem is that you have steady amounts of long distance traffic mixing with highly variable levels of commuter traffic in and out of Leeds here, which can cause carnage at rush hour. In general there hasn't been enough investment in the motorway network around Leeds (compared to say Birmingham or Manchester) and so you have just a few key points of failure like this at Lofthouse Interchange. When it goes wrong the whole city grinds to a halt.

[@AndrewJohnson-ur3lw]

I went to the school next to this and on a windy day could expect high sided vehicle toppling. This then made a friend happy as his dad ran a few vehicles nearby that would rescue such accidents. Nearly every day there is an incident here that makes the traffic news. Plus the issues with the M1/M621 zipper junction can result in rush hour grid locked traffic on M1, M621, M62 for many miles

[@321alison]

Rodillian. Me too.

[@rogerswift1983]

miss the motorway vids like this

[@andypughtube]

4:57 I have always thought "Heckmondwike" to be the most quintessentially yorkshire place name. As a small boy at the time I remember the M62 bridge across the Calder at Brighouse appearing across what was, until then, an open valley. And I really can't think where the new Motorway shown in yellow was going to run. Maybe that's why it didn't. Also, I need to stop underestimating the sorts of things very young children notice. I was born right at the end of 1966, but haven't yet found a date for that bridge.

[@Pystro]

Realistically, you could close the right turns that are also served by the M261 (west to south, adding 6 minutes of drive *) and the A1M (east to north, saving 16 minutes *). That would leave only one right turn direction on the roundabout (south to east). The left turns and the right turn in the trench can stay. That in itself would be a short-term solution that would make the "roundabout" free-flowing. But since it takes the traffic off of 2 of the 4 bridges, it would also be a good place to start the re-modelling. (*) Except for trips that originate or end within the limits of the detour. But those are (semi-) local trips and can use local roads.

[@toxictony4230]

I use it on occasion and often see queuing traffic due to the traffic lights on the roundabout. became of where I'm heading I can make full use of the 'new' sliproads, but all these do is get to the stationary traffic at eitherend a lot faster. @AutoShenanigans Your comment about this been the first inter-motorway junction made me think. Surely J32 M6 to J1 M55 was the first. After all it was the first 3 level junction on the motorway network. Then I remembered the M55 didn't open until 1975. Ouch!

[@modavies8401]

I used to regularly Turn off the southbound M1 onto the Westbound M62. The added slip road did actually improve my transit of the junction. Unfit due to injury to drive now, so I have no idea what the junction is like to transition today.

[@cleanerben9636]

I live near the interchange and there tends to be a heck of a lot of traffic that just seems to spill out

[@cjuk81]

I remember living in Wakefield in the late 80s or 90s and the M1 -m62 link road idea getting raised again and it was stopped I think by alot of opposition to it, or it was cancelled for other reasons but I deffo remember the opposition to it,

[@paulrowntree2800]

This is about a mile and a half from my house. We had some bumf through the letterbox about a year ago, telling us what they are going to do. Apparently, they ARE just going to tart it up a bit. So nothing will change.

[@aleopardstail]

this will be the cheapest option short of doing nothing, with the aim of kicking the can a few years while no doubt causing chaos for those few years

[@Pesmog]

Yep, minimal viable product...

[@JetfireQuasar]

Worst thing is with that option they even KNEW the solution would last 10 years at best and would need a further rework at even more expense...

[@warringtonminge4167]

​@@JetfireQuasar ...but by then the people responsible for this cockup will have moved on (or up) and won't have to face any consequences for their cowardly avoidance of making the right decision.

[@stewartellinson8846]

When the new slip roads were added, soil from adjacent fields was banked on the east- northbound cutting meaning that for a couple of years, monstrous cabbages sprouted from the cutting wall!

[@duncanstreet4955]

Having stood / parked on the roundabout, known as the ‘top deck’ as it is known, many times over the years it is actually quite unnerving for the un- initiated as to how much bounce and movement there is in the carriageway - particularly if a HGV is passing!

[@adrianpeaty9078]

A very interesting video for someone like myself who uses this frequently as I live only 5 minutes away from it. It is actually J42 of the M1. I myself live just off J41.

[@frankupton5821]

I wish they would provide the 'missing link' between the M18 and the M62 should help a bit, if they ever get round to it. This 16-mile stretch 0f the A1 is a venerable two-lane dual carriageway that just can't cope any more and causes more drivers to take the long way round via the M1.

[@MrBreadman1966]

Jon I use the M1 into Leeds every day and the network in the area does work "quite" well in principle and the chaps that run it have tinkered with it several times over the years. The addition of the link to the A1 just outside Leeds has only added to the nightmare, but that did it a lot of pressure off the local roads( Aberford lights eat your heart out!). I can only imagine the terror if they completely replace the interchange in the future! The reworking could bring the network to a awful complete standstill.

[@maximusg88]

4:00 the problem is that the area around it is pretty built-up and noise and polution levels might increase. If anything, they should probably build that stretch of motorway they originally planned to reduce traffic on the junction.

[@rochellehewston9367]

I love the comment at the end about the aging and moving on. I’m just imagining bulldogs in the junction and rebuilding it. Where would all the traffic go?

[@lefthandedspanner]

when the junction was planned and built, M62 was not intended to meet M1 at that location, instead terminating somewhere between junction 38 and Woolley Edge services - the junction at Lofthouse was designed for M19, a much quieter motorway that would have linked M1 with A1, and not gone any further east M62 was rerouted pretty much at the last minute and plugged into the already existing junction, which is why it has such a sharp bend near junction 25; the Flockton link (the diagonal corner-cutting motorway following M62's originally planned course) was a later scheme if the junction is rebuilt as a free-flowing interchange, the designers would do well to look to Ireland and see what was done on the former roundabouts on M50, where they achieved a lot with limited space to work in (which is the major practical obstacle to rebuilding Lofthouse - it's very close to built-up areas)

[@hairyairey]

A perfect opportunity to build a diverging diamond interchange, but without the traffic lights by having three levels. Meaning traffic would travel on the right at one point. It's definitely possible to build it without closing the junction entirely.

[@carlubetv]

Hello mate, your channel is amazing, I watch all your videos, just want to suggest you get a wireless mic for when you’re talking on the street. I recently bought DGI Mic2, they even have noise cancellation, cracking bit of kit and worth every penny. Keep up the good work.

[@williamfence566]

Oh yes they do close some parts of it. As a Night HGV driver we have to regularly find an alternative route and with weight restrictions it's invariably the A1

[@321alison]

I used to go to a school right next to the junction. The school playing fields backed onto the motorway. On a couple of occasions I remember playing in the field then hearing a crash of metal then running up to the fence to gawp at the crashed cars and police cars.

[@TruckerMurdock]

I use this every evening in my artic and the only problems I've had is when they're doing roadworks. We run 16ft high double deck trailers that can be very heavy so you do have to watch your speed on the return leg coming eastbound on the M62 to M1 northbound, if the top deck is heavy we slow it to well below the 50mph limit as that bend can make the trailer lean a fair bit at 50mph. The westbound tunnel is no issue and always get through there quickly.

[@briantist]

Bless. My great schoolfriend Teresa "Pterri" Pywell built this on he first ever job after graduating!!!

[@magei310]

0:04 J42 on the M1, J41 is the junction after going south, I know because I use this almost every day for past 2/3 years xD

[@toon10001two]

The Roundabout is so versatile that it often gets chosen as the default for junctions, often in situations where it really doesn't work. I live in Scotland and use the Baillieston Roundabout every day and if that was free flowing (in the directions I go) I would wait in a LOT less traffic each day. Still, admire a clever engineering solution - even if I've just spent time at work discussing roundabouts.

[@davidkay4923]

about time you came up north John

[@johntanner3659]

One other problem that was not mentioned is the M621 just north of the junction. It means that drivers on the M1 have to switch to the left and right when continuing north or south and the road window is quite small.

[@chrisstones1249]

Fabulous channel 👍

[@darrenrgill]

Love your videos but you made a slight mistake at the beginning of this video, you said the Lofthouse Interchange is junction 41 of the M1, but it's actually junction 42, it's an easy mistake to make as junction 41 is very close by, keep up the good work, your videos always make me chuckle,

[@TheCcponyboy]

You can see my house from there. Major problem is all the A roads into Wakefield and Morley. If you rebuild Loft house then they'll be chocka for years. Leave alone

[@The1trueDave]

It would be interesting to get some detail about why the roundabout layout is unsuitable, ie why widening it to 3 or 4 lanes wouldn't work. I've always quite liked the simplicity and symmetry of the design. Is there some other weak link like the capacity of the slip roads to feed the roundabout? I suppose another option would just be to get the Sheffield - Manchester motorway built (or the J38 - Brighouse option at 1:14 ) and take the load off Lofthouse that way. Obviously much more expensive but would presumably bring many other economic benefits...?

[@barrycrosby8602]

I regularly use this junction going to and from Manchester and Newcastle and very rarely have much delays but this is because I don't need to use the roundabout just the slip roads, so I agree that the roundabout needs removing and slip road put in to replace them

[@iandonkin6762]

You only need to move a few junctions along to the revised A1(M?) / M62 junction to see what the art of the possible could be. I don’t travel that way often anymore, but I seem to remember it being vastly improved last time I was back up there from the days of Ferrybridge Services and enormous queues to get on/off the A1 from the M62. But I am 40+ years into having a full driving licence now so my views (and memory), may not meet with everyone’s expectations!

[@picobyte]

In carmageddon I made one of there high speed roundabouts. In the Netherlands with aware motorists such and matched to realworld motorway connectors work fine.

[@astralplane47]

hi john what a knowledge nugget about the futuristic shaped bridge supports. Any chance you might be able to do a piece on the new services opening at M1 J33 in the new year ? excited at this one as this one as I invariably need the bathroom well before woodall but have a personal dislike for woolley edge having been dumped there by the AA one evening for a connecting recovery which never came...I almost spent the night in the car in -5 degree cold but for the nice travelodge man who gave me the last room 1 o'clock int he morning (sorry for waffling...)

[@Jon-em4kc]

@Jon we need a 56 minute drone video of this (during rush hour) a la Swindon video!

[@TheUKMediaWatch]

I find these video wholesome a f . Cheers 👍🏼

[@RichardBacon-h5x]

Good to know this existing design doesn't work, considering they are building near enough the same design for the M25/A3 junction. Regardless, and interesting bit of history, thanks for the video.

[@ggmtv1394]

That M1N -> M62W still seems a good idea.

[@Thoringer]

If you want to see what road construction can look like, look up animated videos to the I-10 / 1604 and I-35 / 1604 interchanges that are currently under construction. They are massive! I think they call this the Texas Interchange. I believe Houston might have larger ones, but only by the number of lanes. Well, Houston is more than twice the size of San Antonio. Oh, btw, they also keep the roads open except for weekend nights - causing some backup.

[@ryleehoward3197]

These videos make my day

[@AutoShenanigans]

Great to hear. thanks for watching

[@ryleehoward3197]

@@AutoShenanigansthank you for making amazing content and so informative ❤

[@hoggmotorsport]

Been up...down...round and round this one a time or two Jon lad! 🤣 I pressed the specific button 👍

[@marcom9103]

The Free flow slips added from the M1N to M62W are a massive help. That is by far the busiest movement on the junction, if they had never done that, the congestion on the main roundabout would be a whole lot worse!!!

[@Wannes_]

We had a similar "roundabout" interchange in Belgium, near Lummen (E313 x E314) Guess what: it didn't work either once traffic increased a bit It has since been remodelled with the roundabout part removed, slipways built to go right (left in UK) and extra bridges & roads to go left (right in UK)

[@mattstevens1332]

I like this channel so much that I often let the adverts play and sometimes I even click on them.

[@martinhowe1422]

I see you at 2:58 in a 'Where's Wally' style of finding the drone controller.....you are Chalkie White and I claim my £5

[@johnbaldwin143]

Always a joy to watch!

[@tobyjackman3212]

This is the *best* video I've ever seen about anything

[@paulcook7426]

I have always loved the perfect geometry of this junction. I'd hate to see it go.

[@stephenyates962]

*Junction 42 of the M1* If Highways England can bulldoze and rebuild the Catthorpe Interchange, surely the same can done here, and maybe turn it into the rarest of junction types - a 4 level stack interchange. What an end to the video, Jon, you're spoiling us this week

[@mildertduck]

The odd thing about that junction is that there’s only one route on it where drivers have to use the roundabout - where that “missing” motorway would be.

[@michaelwoffindin]

I wonder how many feasibility studies it took to come up with a whopping THREE options for the interchange.

[@JL-sm6cg]

I watched this because I just saw a similar design currently being built in Florida right now.

[@conradburdekin722]

Brilliant! That’s my local junction 😊

[@thomaswarren13]

The roundabout motorway exit is a truly shocking layout. Having spent the last few weeks driving in the UK, Denmark and Australia, the British roundabout junctions including the traffic lights is the worst solution I've seen

[@charliep1973]

There's another problem just to the north of the interchange, where we have the horror of horrors that is a weaving section where traffic from the M621 to M62 West or East has to cross the path of M1 southbound traffic (and vice versa). The money-is-no-option solution would be to replace everything with a free-flowing interchange with 18 route options (no need to cater for M621 south to M1 north and vice versa), but that's complete pie in the sky dreaming.

[@jonathonbrett-qn1ic]

Wonderful Jon

[@21ccFilms]

Omg, more Sega Rally. 'Kkn love it. Is this the end credits from the 1st game on the Saturn? Game over yeeaaah

[@Dan23_7]

I used this today going M1 south to M62 west. The tunnels are 50mph speed limit !!!…. (Wow)

[@Steve_1492]

Especially when idiots in the left hand lane turn right cutting you up as you go straight on following the direction arrows.

[@stephenrowley4171]

Problem is the road marking tell people to do this. I believe the local police have raised this issue with highway agency and got told it ain't changing

[@harry6615]

@@stephenrowley4171 Maybe if car insurers sent the repair bills on to National Highways, they'd soon do something about it.

[@Steve_1492]

@@stephenrowley4171 I used to do that journey daily. The number o near misses I saw heading to Leeds from the East M62 was shocking with the right turners in the left hand lane. You're turning right, drivers should know better, also sadly, not just limited to this roundabout.

[@user-ny9jw8oo5k]

I use this part of the motorway nearly every day and it’s like most motorways, a nightmare at certain times . Introducing a smart motorway a few years ago only worked for about 8 months until traffic got as bad as before.

[@yousefbhacker8160]

It would be great if you added some info on why the junction isn't fit for purpose, with diagrams/footage to explain:)

[@KX36]

80% of respondents answered with option 3, including me. But it was clearly an tick box exercise and they expected the public to reaffirm the only option they were actually considering (the cheapest), and so when the public voted for the most expensive they decided to do nothing and reassess in the future. I even added a suggestion that instead of demolishing the roundabout they just close all but 1 entrance and exit and use 3/4 of it as one of the new slip roads. It might have been limited to 40mph because of the tight curve, but it would at least be free flowing and cost nothing, then instead of building 3 new slip roads they would only have to build 2 to make it completely free flowing as there are already free flowing slip roads in 5 of the 8 directions. (one of the undercut slip roads was pointless because there was already a free flowing slip road attached to the roundabout, but the other one is effective).

[@RogerNorman-q6x]

Never really had an issue as such with the junction. What has been the problem is the roadworks that seem to have lasted forever at the Wentbridge Viaduct South of there. They've regularly had the traffic backed up on the AI as far as the Lofthouse junction. Even now, you go over the viaduct, there's no apparently works ongoing - least there wasn't last week when I crossed and yet its still got the speed restrictions and half the lane closed. Its only taken 2 years so far. The joys of Britain's road systems