A61 road
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| Route information | ||||
| Length | 110.0 mi[1][2] (177.0 km) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| From |  A52 in Derby | |||
 A38 in Derby A57 in Sheffield M1 near Hoyland M621 in Leeds A59 in Harrogate A1(M) near Rainton | ||||
| To |   A19 / A168 near Thirsk | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United Kingdom | |||
| Counties | Derbyshire South Yorkshire West Yorkshire North Yorkshire | |||
| Primary destinations | Alfreton Chesterfield Dronfield Sheffield Barnsley Staincross Wakefield Leeds Harrogate Ripon | |||
| Road network | ||||
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The A61 is a major trunk road in England connecting Derby and Thirsk in North Yorkshire by way of Alfreton, Clay Cross, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Barnsley, Wakefield, Leeds, Harrogate and Ripon. The road is closely paralleled by the M1 motorway between Derby and Leeds.
Route
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Heading south, the road begins as single carriageway from Thirsk which bypasses Ripon and travels towards Harrogate, eventually passing through Harrogate town centre. Here, the road divides into two major one-way streets which enclose the town centre and run along The Stray, a 200-acre (0.81 km2) stretch of grassland in Harrogate. As Leeds Road, it then passes through the southern suburbs of Harrogate before meeting the A658 near the village of Pannal. The A61 continues through Harewood before approaching the north's metropolis, where a sudden urban fringe approaches. As the road enters Leeds and crosses the A6120 outer ring road, the road becomes Scott Hall Road, a main dual carriageway (or Trunk Road) and artery for north Leeds. There are sections of guided bus route using kerb guidance near Potternewton. Here, the A61 rises slightly, and a panoramic view of Leeds skyline is revealed. The descent into Leeds is quick and the road soon turns into a multi-lane road, as it approaches Sheepscar Interchange. Fast-flowing traffic is directed onto the A61, although some traffic is directed off the A61 to avoid Leeds City Centre as it routes around the back of Quarry House. The A61 meets it shortly after, as it shares the city centre loop for a short distance. After crossing the river, the road splits again before taking traffic out to the motorways. The road then continues out of Leeds towards Wakefield and Barnsley. South of Barnsley it crosses the M1 at Junction 36 then heads towards Sheffield. Between the M1 at Junction 36 and the Westwood roundabout intersection with the A616, the road is designated as a trunk road under the responsibility of National Highways.
The A61 travels into Sheffield through Grenoside and Hillsborough, passing next to the Sheffield Wednesday football stadium as Penistone Road. It continues down to Shalesmoor and at this point it forms a major artery into the City Centre from the north, becoming the Sheffield Inner Ring Road (which is labelled as A61 all the way around). It meets the A57 twice; at Park Square and Brookhill roundabout. At Junction 4 (Bramall Lane) of the Sheffield Inner Ring Road, is a spur road the A621 – Bramall Lane, this road takes you past the western side of Sheffield United's stadium and back onto the A61 as Queens Road. The A621 is used as a shortcut, instead of continuing on the Sheffield Inner Ring Road to Junction 3 (Granville Square), where it meets Queens Road further north. The A61 then continues through Heeley as Chesterfield Road and climbs up to Norton and onto Bowshaw roundabout. Between Sheffield and Chesterfield it is a dual carriageway, avoids Dronfield and Unstone as the eponymous by-pass. The road used to go through Chesterfield town centre, passing by the famous crooked spire, but was heavily congested. This was alleviated by the construction of the Chesterfield bypass in the 1980s on the alignment of the former Great Central Railway. The road reverts to single carriageway south of Chesterfield, passing through Clay Cross and Alfreton.
South of Alfreton, the A61 merges with the dual carriageway A38, but the old A61 continues as the B6179 through Swanwick and Denby, meeting the A38 again just north of the city. The A61 road continues towards the city centre along Sir Frank Whittle Road until it finally ends at the junction with the A52 near to the headquarters of Derbyshire County Cricket Club.
Road safety
[edit]In June 2008 a 6.2-mile (10.0 km) stretch of the A61 between Barnsley and Wakefield was named as the most dangerous road in Britain, when motorcycle accidents were excluded.[3] In the latest EuroRAP findings from the Road Safety Foundation, this stretch of road was also found to be the most dangerous road in Yorkshire and Humber. With 22 fatal and serious injury accidents in the three years analysed (2004–2006), this single carriageway route was rated as Red – the second highest risk category.[4]
Junction list
[edit]| County | Location | mi[1][2] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derbyshire | Derby | 0.0 | 0.0 |  A52 / Nottingham Road to M1 / A6 – City centre, Nottingham, Loughborough, Chaddesden | Southern terminus |
| 0.8 | 1.3 |   A608 northeast (Mansfield Road) / Hampshire Road to A609 – Heanor, Ilkeston, Oakwood, Chester Green | Southwestern terminus of A608 | ||
| 2.2 | 3.5 | A38 south (Abbey Hill) / B6179 (Alfreton Road) / A6 – Birmingham, Burton, Matlock, Little Eaton | B6179 and Little Eaton signed northbound only; southern terminus of A38 concurrency | ||
| Horsley– Holbrook boundary | 4.9– 5.5 | 7.9– 8.9 | B6179 to A609 – Kilburn, Belper, Little Eaton | Junction; Little Eaton signed southbound only | |
| Ripley | 9.3– 10.0 | 15.0– 16.1 |  A610 / A6 / B6441 – Ambergate, Matlock, Nottingham, Ripley | Junction; To A6, Ambergate and Matlock signed northbound only, Nottingham southbound only | |
| Swanwick– Alfreton boundary | 12.1– 12.3 | 19.5– 19.8 | A38 north to M1 – The North, Sheffield, Mansfield, South Normanton, Sutton-in-Ashfield B6179 (Derby Road) – Swanwick | The North and Sheffield signed northbound only, S Normnton and Sutton southbound only; northern terminus of A38 concurrency | |
| Alfreton | 12.4– 12.6 | 20.0– 20.3 |  A615 northwest to B5035 – Matlock, South Wingfield, Crich | Information signed northbound only; southeastern terminus of A615 | |
| Clay Cross | 18.2 | 29.3 |  A6175 northeast to M1 – Heath | Information signed southbound only; southwestern terminus of A6175 | |
| Chesterfield | 22.9 | 36.9 |    A617 east / A619 west to M1 / A6 / A632 – Town centre, Mansfield, Bakewell, Buxton, Bolsover | To A6, A632, Buxton and Bulsover signed northbound only; southern terminus of A619 concurrency; western terminus of A617 | |
| 23.1– 23.3 | 37.2– 37.5 |  A632 – Chesterfield, Matlock, Bolsover | Junction; southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 24.4 | 39.3 | A619 east (Rother Way) / Lockoford Road to M1 north – Town centre, Worksop, Birmingham, Staveley | Northern terminus of A619 concurrency | ||
| 26.0– 26.5 | 41.8– 42.6 | Unstone, Dronfield, Sheepbridge | Junction; Sheepbridge signed northbound only | ||
| South Yorkshire | Sheffield | 30.8 | 49.6 |     A6102 north (Ring Road) / B6054 (Greenhill Parkway) / M1 / M18 / A630 / A6178 – Holmesfield, Rotherham, Meadowhall, Bradway, Beauchief, Greenhill, Lowedges, Gleadless, Norton | Beauchief signed northbound only; southern terminus of A6102 |
| 33.7 | 54.2 |  A621 southwest (Wolseley Road) – BakewellB6388 (London Road) – Barnsley | No access from A61 north to A621 southwest, from A61 south to B6388, or from A621 northeast to A61 south; southern terminus of A621 concurrency | ||
| 33.8 | 54.4 | A621 northeast (Bramall Lane) – City centre, Barnsley B6388 (Myrtle Road) – Gleadless | No access from A61 south to A621 northeast or from A61 north to B6388; northern terminus of A621 concurrency | ||
| 34.6 | 55.7 |  A61 north (Ring Road) – BarnsleyGranville Road (A6135 south) – Manor Top | Manor Top signed southbound only; southern terminus of A6135 concurrency | ||
| 35.7 | 57.5 | A57 east (Sheffield Parkway) to M1 / M18 / A630 / A6102 – Worksop, Rotherham, Meadowhall | Southern terminus of A57 concurrency | ||
| 36.0– 36.2 | 57.9– 58.3 |   A6109 northeast / A6135 north (Saville Street) – Rotherham, Chapeltown, Lower Don Valley, Attercliffe, Burngreave, Meadowhall | Meadowhall signed southbound only; northern terminus of A6135 concurrency; southwestern terminus of A6109 | ||
| 36.8 | 59.2 | A57 west / A61 south (Ring Road) – Chesterfield, Glossop | Northern terminus of A57 concurrency | ||
| 38.1 | 61.3 |  A6101 west to A57 – Stannington, Loxley, Glossop, Walkley | To A57, Glossop and Walkley signed southbound only; eastern terminus of A6101 | ||
| 38.5– 38.9 | 62.0– 62.6 | A6102 – Stocksbridge, Rotherham, Meadowhall | Stocksbridge signed northbound only, Meadowhall southbound only; brief concurrency | ||
| High Green | 43.0 | 69.2 |   A629 north to A616 – Huddersfield, Manchester | To A616 and Manchester signed northbound only; southern terminus of A629 | |
| Tankersley | 44.4 | 71.5 |  A616 to M1 south / A628 – Manchester | ||
| 45.5 | 73.2 | M1 – The South, The North, Leeds, Barnsley, Sheffield | The North and The South signed southbound only, Barnsley northbound only; M1 junction 36 | ||
| 45.7 | 73.5 |  A6195 north (Dearne Valley Parkway) / A6135 south (Olympus Parkway) – Doncaster, Hoyland, Chapeltown | Chapeltown signed southbound only; southern terminus of A6195; northern terminus of A6135 | ||
| Barnsley | 49.5 | 79.7 |  Park Road / Cemetery Road (A6133) to M1 / A1(M) / A628 / A635 – Manchester, Doncaster | ||
| 49.7 | 80.0 | A635 east (Taylor Row) – Doncaster, Rotherham | No access from A61 north to A635 east; southern terminus of A635 concurrency | ||
| 49.8 | 80.1 | A628 west (West Way) to M1 – Manchester | Southern terminus of A628 concurrency | ||
| 50.0– 50.1 | 80.5– 80.6 | A628 east – Pontefract | Junction; information signed northbound only; northern terminus of A628 concurrency | ||
| 50.5 | 81.3 | A635 west (Old Mill Lane) – Town centre, Huddersfield | A635 and H'field signed northbound only; northern terminus of A635 concurrency | ||
| 51.8 | 83.4 |  A633 southeast (Rotherham Road) – Rotherham, Monk Bretton | Monk Bretton signed southbound only; northwestern terminus of A633 | ||
| West Yorkshire | Wakefield | 57.4 | 92.4 |   A6186 west (Standbridge Lane) to M1 / A636 – Denby Dale | A6186 signed southbound only; eastern terminus of A6186 |
| 59.4 | 95.6 |    A638 east (Doncaster Road) to M62 east / A645 – Doncaster, Pontefract | No access from A61 north to A638 east; southern terminus of A638 concurrency | ||
| 59.6– 59.7 | 95.9– 96.1 |  A638 west (Ings Road) to M1 / A642 – Dewsbury, Huddersfield | Northern terminus of A638 concurrency | ||
| 60.2 | 96.9 | A642 east to M62 east – Stanley, Rothwell | Southern terminus of A642 concurrency | ||
| 60.6 | 97.5 | Northgate (A642 west) – City centre | Northern terminus of A642 concurrency | ||
| 61.0 | 98.2 | Bradford Road (A650 east) / Link Road to A642 – Huddersfield | Information signed southbound only; southern terminus of A650 concurrency | ||
| 61.2 | 98.5 |  A650 west / Bar Lane (A6194 south) to M1 / M62 – Bradford, Morley, Doncaster, Rothwell, Stanley | Stanley signed southbound only; northern terminus of A650 concurrency | ||
| Robin Hood | 64.8 | 104.3 | Leadwell Lane (A654) | ||
| Leeds | 66.3– 67.1 | 106.7– 108.0 | M621 east to M1 / M62 – The South, Wakefield, Hull  A639 (Wakefield Road) to M1 / A1 – The North, Pontefract, Leeds, Stourton | Leeds signed northbound only, To A1, Wakefield and Hull signed southbound only; southern terminus of M621 concurrency; M621 junction 7 | |
| 67.7 | 109.0 | Middleton | Southbound exit and northbound entrance; M621 junction 6 | ||
| 68.0– 68.7 | 109.4– 110.6 | M621 west to M62 west – City centre, The West, Manchester | M621 and Manchester signed northbound only, To M62, City centre and The West southbound only; northern terminus of M621 concurrency; M621 junction 5 | ||
| 69.0– 69.4 | 111.0– 111.7 | A639 southeast – Pontefract, Rothwell | Junction; northwestern terminus of A639 | ||
| 69.6 | 112.0 |   A63 east (Long Causeway) to M1 / A64 – The North, Selby, York | Western terminus of A63 | ||
| 70.0– 70.3 | 112.7– 113.1 |  A653 (Crown Point Road) to M621 / M1 / M62 / A64 / A63 – City centre, Dewsbury, Wakefield, York, Selby, Quarry Hill | To M621, M1, M62 and City centre signed northbound only, To A63 and Selby signed southbound only | ||
| 71.1– 71.3 | 114.4– 114.7 |  A58 (Clay Pit Lane / Barrack Road) to M621 / M62 / A1 – The North, Halifax, Wetherby, Harehills, Roundhay, Chapeltown | Chapeltown signed northbound only | ||
| 74.3 | 119.6 |     A6120 (Ring Road) to M1 / M62 / A1(M) / A58 / A64 / A660 / A647 – Wetherby, York, Skipton, Bradford | |||
| Harewood | 78.3 | 126.0 |  A659 east (The Avenue) to A58 – Tadcaster, Wetherby, Collingham | Southern terminus of A659 concurrency | |
| 79.4 | 127.8 | A659 west (Otley Road) – Otley, Pool, Arthington | Northern terminus of A659 concurrency | ||
| West Yorkshire– North Yorkshire boundary | Harewood– Kirkby Overblow boundary | 97.6 | 157.1 | Harewood Bridge over River Wharfe | |
| North Yorkshire | Kirkby Overblow | 82.4 | 132.6 |  A658 / A1(M) / A59 – The North, York, Bradford, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Pool, Otley, Ripon | Boroughbridge and Ripon signed northbound only |
| Harrogate | 85.4 | 137.4 |   A6040 northeast (York Place) / B6162 (Otley Road) to A661 / A59 – Wetherby, York, Harlow Hill | B6162 signed southbound only; southwestern terminus of A6040 | |
| 86.9 | 139.9 | A59 (Skipton Road) to A661 – Skipton, York, Wetherby | |||
| Ripon | 97.7 | 157.2 |  A6108 north / Sharow Lane – Ripon, Masham, Leyburn, Sharow, Copt Hewick | Southern terminus of A6108 | |
| Hutton Conyers– Baldersby boundary | 101.1 | 162.7 | A1(M) – The North, The South
 A6055 north (Leeming Lane) – Bedale, Masham | Bedale and Masham signed northbound only; southern terminus of A6055; A1(M) junction 50 | |
| Carlton Miniott– Sandhutton boundary | 105.2 | 169.3 |  A167 – Northallerton, Topcliffe, Sandhutton, South Otterington, Dalton, Boroughbridge | ||
| Thirsk | 108.8 | 175.1 |  A170 to A19 / A1(M) / A168 / B1448 – York, Scarborough, Wetherby, Sowerby | To A1(M), A168, B1448, Wetherby and Sowerby signed southbound only | |
| South Kilvington | 110.0 | 177.0 | A19 / A168 / B1448 – Teesside, York, Wetherby, Sowerby, Northallerton | Northern terminus | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
References
[edit]- ^ a b "A61, Derby, UK to 4 Queens Rd, Sheffield S2 4DX, UK to 1 Concourse Way, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield S1 2BJ, UK to 67 Penistone Rd N, Sheffield S6 1QB, UK to Barnsley Rd, Barnsley S75 5BQ, UK to M621, Belle Isle, Leeds, UK to 30 Ripon Rd, Harrogate HG1 2JJ, UK to A61, Ripon HG4 5LZ, UK". Google Maps. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- ^ a b "A61, Ripon HG4 5LZ, UK to 47-19 Racecourse Mews, Thirsk YO7 1QG, UK to A61, South Kilvington, Thirsk YO7 2LR, UK". Google Maps. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- ^ "EuroRAP 2008: GB Tracking Survey Results" (PDF). EuroRAP. 30 June 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ "GB A61 (Risk Rate)". EuroRAP. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
External links
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A roads in Zone 6 of the Great Britain road numbering scheme | ||
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