M621 motorway

The M621 is a loop of motorway in West Yorkshire, England that takes traffic into central Leeds between the M1 and M62 motorways.

History

The first section of the M621 to open, known at the time as the 'South West Urban Motorway', extended from the M62 to junction 3 in central Leeds where it used to terminate at a roundabout which was also the terminus of the M1 motorway. This section opened in stages

First stage

M62 to junction 1 opened in 1971.

Second stage

Junction 1 to junction 3 opened on 27 November 1973, known as Gildersome Street - Leeds. It finished at the Beeston Interchange.

Third stage

Construction started in December 1975 by A.F. Budge of Nottinghamshire, the Leeds South West Urban Motorway and Ingram Road Distributor, costing £5.5million,, to take27 months.

Redesignation

When the M1 was diverted away from Leeds when the 'M1 – A1 Lofthouse to Bramham' extension opened in 1999 adjustments were made to junction 3 and the Leeds section of the M1 was re-designated as M621, given junction 3 to junction 7).