SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Britain's shortest motorway is in Leeds! Yes, we are home to the A64M, the shortest numbered and signed motorway in the UK. At a huge 600 yards long then I suspect you might even be able to see both ends at the same time, surely unique for a motorway.For anyone who sets pub quizzes excellent trivia I think.I found this out from the superb CBRD website. There is a whole history devoted to Leeds Inner Ring Road. Fascinating reading as all the intended or aborted plans are explained. Well, I find it interesting as I earn a crust driving a van around Leeds. All sorts of roadside anomalies are explained. We're actually quite lucky to have the Inner Ring Road and it's been important to the success of Leeds. As Chris says on the website;"It is by far the most destructive thing ever built in the centre of Leeds, but also probably one of the most important contributors to the city's commercial success - by taking traffic away from the city it allows the streets to be open, quiet and pedestrian-friendly."The fact that Leeds is home to this runt of a motorway also warrants a mention on a website devoted to Pathetic Motorways

The A64(m) has , I believe, another claim to fame - being the only motorway that has a right turn exit. This is where you stream off to Vicar Lane/ North Street. All other motorway junctions have you stream off to the left.I doubt anyone (without x-ray vision)could see both ends at the same time though...

Is it also the longest road tunnel in Britain without any artificial ventilation?

Inquirer wrote: Is it also the longest road tunnel in Britain without any artificial ventilation? Thats actually where the inner ringroad is the A58(m). Which must also be in the shortest 10 motorways in the UK as it only stretches to Wellington Street from presumably claypit lane?? which is designated the A58 and can't be that much longer

drapesy wrote: The A64(m) has , I believe, another claim to fame - being the only motorway that has a right turn exit. This is where you stream off to Vicar Lane/ North Street. All other motorway junctions have you stream off to the left.I doubt anyone (without x-ray vision)could see both ends at the same time though... The A167(M) has one and the M8 has two.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A167%28M%2 ... 8_motorway

tyke bhoy wrote: Inquirer wrote: Is it also the longest road tunnel in Britain without any artificial ventilation? Thats actually where the inner ringroad is the A58(m). Which must also be in the shortest 10 motorways in the UK as it only stretches to Wellington Street from presumably claypit lane?? which is designated the A58 and can't be that much longer Years ago I worked on that bit of road, and in the tunnel was a light that came on if,I suppose the carbon levels were high. If it came on we had to belt it out into the fresh air.

I can remember back in the early/mid 90's there was a heavy snowfall one evening just before rush hour and Leeds quickly achieved a state of near gridlock. (It was the night Manchester United's Eric Cantona jumped into that chap in the crowd if you want to check the exact date).It took me well over an hour and a half to get from Gelderd Road to the long tunnel on the Inner Ring Road and as traffic moved three feet, then stopped again for a few minutes several ambulance staff came walking down the footway advising people to keep their windows closed whilst in the tunnel and if you felt like you were going to nod off / pass out to sound your horn and they'd come and check you were ok! That is just a bit scary.

Leeds also has the A58M which has a permanent 40mph limit, is this the only motorway to have this? somebody told me it was, but i havent verified it.

How great it would be to organise a 600 yard road sprint and attract the world's fastest sprinters to sucha lungbusting challenge.This is exactly the kind of thing Leeds needs, an event so the world's media points it's cameras at our city for a day or so.

here is a picture of some steel girders holding the clarendon wing up over "the shortest motorway"